French authorities to begin intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to start intercepting small boats in the Channel, after months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to support the plan and saying there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have rarely acted to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered too great a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police representative states personnel will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential method to snarl the engines of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a short-lived change towards a stricter approach this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from office.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and President, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Currently French officials will again be permitted to intercept boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking ways to adjust to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.
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