French authorities will start intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the President urging him to back the plan and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements.
French authorities have infrequently acted to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police representative says officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential technique to disable the engines of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a significant step forward, following a short-lived shift towards a stricter approach this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Now French officials will again be permitted to stop boats before they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently postponing the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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