French authorities will start intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the Channel, after months of pressure from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to support the plan and stating there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police representative says personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential method to snarl the engines of the vessels.
The decision to take action at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister left office.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will again be permitted to stop boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adjust to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.
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