French authorities will start intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel following British demands
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to support the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have rarely acted to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a danger to both personnel and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police representative states personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a possible method to disable the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the former government official left government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for methods to adjust to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.
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