French authorities to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to start intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the British leader wrote to the French leader asking him to support the initiative and saying there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police representative states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible technique to disable the propellers of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a major step forward, following a brief change towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left government.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will again be permitted to stop boats prior to they pick up migrant individuals from the beaches of northern France, although it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adjust to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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