French authorities to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting small boats in the English Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President asking him to support the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French police have infrequently acted to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police representative says personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief change towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister departed from government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Currently French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Strong winds are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for methods to adapt to evade detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.
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