France to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President asking him to back the initiative and saying there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to disable the engines of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a major advancement, coming after a short-lived change towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister left government.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Currently French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats before they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for ways to adjust to evade interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
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