French authorities to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel after British demands
France has agreed to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President urging him to support the plan and saying there presently "lack any 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 passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have infrequently acted to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Notably, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.
The decision to take action at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister departed from office.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will again be allowed to stop boats before they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for methods to adapt to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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