French authorities to begin intercepting small boats in English Channel following British demands
French officials have consented to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader urging him to support the initiative and stating there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a major advancement, coming after a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former government official departed from government.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Now French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up migrant individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for ways to adapt to evade detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
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