French authorities to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President asking him to support the plan and stating there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have rarely acted to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson states personnel will start taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible method to snarl the engines of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister left office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Now French officials will again be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adjust to avoid 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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