French authorities will start intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to support the initiative and saying there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative statements.
French police have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential method to disable the engines of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the previous government official departed from office.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the UK leader and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will again be permitted to intercept boats before they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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