French authorities will start intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel following British demands
French officials have consented to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift follows the British leader sent a letter to the French leader urging him to back the initiative and saying there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have infrequently acted to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will start intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible technique to disable the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to take action at all is a major step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a summit between the UK leader and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Now French authorities will once more be permitted to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for methods to adjust to evade interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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