France will start intercepting small boats in Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the British leader wrote to the President urging him to support the initiative and stating there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have rarely acted to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential method to disable the engines of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, following a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister left office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Currently French officials will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of northern France, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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