French authorities will start intercepting migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to support the plan and saying there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French police have infrequently intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential method to disable the engines of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a major advancement, following a brief shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Currently French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for ways to adjust to evade detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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