French authorities to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the Channel, following months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the President urging him to back the plan and stating there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.
French police have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered too great a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police representative states officers will start intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Now French authorities will once more be allowed to stop boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for ways to adjust to evade detection, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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