French authorities will start intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President urging him to back the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police representative says officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a brief change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister left office.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently delaying the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking methods 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 contacted for comment.
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