French authorities will start intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to begin stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows 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 maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have rarely acted to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police representative says officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential technique to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the former government official departed from office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will again be permitted to intercept boats prior to they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for methods to adjust to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.
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