French authorities will start intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, after months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the French leader asking him to back the initiative and saying there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to official statements.
French authorities have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible technique to disable the engines of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a brief change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Now French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adjust to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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