France to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to begin intercepting 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 French leader asking him to support the plan and saying there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to official statements.
French police have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson states personnel will start intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential method to disable the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to take action at all is a major advancement, coming after a short-lived change towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they collect migrant passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adjust to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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