French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the British leader wrote to the French leader urging him to back the plan and stating there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to official statements.
French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a danger to both personnel and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police representative says officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a major step forward, following a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former government official left government.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Now French officials will again be permitted to stop boats prior to they pick up migrant passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be seeking methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
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