France to begin intercepting small boats in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to back the plan and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson states personnel will start taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.
The decision to take action at all is a major advancement, coming after a brief shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister left office.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Currently French officials will once more be allowed to stop boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adjust to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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