French authorities will start intercepting migrant vessels in Channel after British demands
French officials have consented to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to support the plan and stating there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements.
French police have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson states personnel will start intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential method to disable the propellers of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a significant advancement, coming after a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from government.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats before they collect migrant passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adjust to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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