French authorities to begin intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel after British demands
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to support the initiative and saying there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have infrequently acted to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a brief shift towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the former government official departed from government.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Now French officials will again be permitted to stop boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking 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 approached for comment.
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