France to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the British leader sent a letter to the French leader urging him to back the plan and saying there currently "lack any 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 picked up their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French police have rarely intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will start intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, following a brief change towards a stricter approach this summer, which ceased when the previous government official left government.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Now French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for ways to adjust to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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