French authorities to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel after British demands
French officials have consented to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to support the plan and stating there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson states officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister left office.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently postponing the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be seeking methods to adjust to avoid detection, 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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