French authorities to begin intercepting small boats in Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start intercepting small boats in the Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to support the plan and stating there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to official statements.
French police have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police representative states personnel will start taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible method to disable the engines of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant advancement, coming after a brief shift towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the previous government official left government.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Now French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats before they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.
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- France withdrawing from pledge to intercept migrant boats
