French authorities will start intercepting migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to support the initiative and stating there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French police have rarely acted to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson states personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible method to disable the engines of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, following a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from office.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats prior to they collect migrant individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels 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 previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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