French authorities to begin stopping migrant vessels in English Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to start intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to back the initiative and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police representative says personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
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 boats.
This determination to take action at all is a major step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister left government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Currently French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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