French authorities to begin intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel following British demands
French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, after months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to back the plan and saying there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will start intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to disable the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a significant step forward, following a brief change towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the former government official left government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and President, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Currently French officials will once more be allowed to stop boats before they collect migrant individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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