French authorities to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President urging him to back the plan and stating there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements.
French police have rarely acted to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a major advancement, coming after a brief change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the former government official left government.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Currently French authorities will once more be allowed to stop boats before they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be seeking methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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