French authorities will start intercepting small boats in English Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the British leader sent a letter to the French leader asking him to back the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements.
French authorities have infrequently intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered too great a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police representative says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential technique to disable the engines of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a major advancement, following a short-lived shift towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister left office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will again be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently postponing the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for methods to adapt to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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