French authorities to begin intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin stopping small boats in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the French leader asking him to support the plan and saying there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police representative states personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.
The decision to take action at all is a major step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the previous government official left government.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Currently French officials will again be permitted to stop boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.
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