French authorities will start intercepting migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader urging him to back the initiative and stating there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French police have infrequently intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will start taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to take action at all is a significant step forward, following a brief change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister departed from government.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Currently French officials will again be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect migrant individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.
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