France to begin intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to start intercepting small boats in the English Channel, after months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to support the plan and stating there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have rarely intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered too great a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police representative states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a brief change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former government official departed from office.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French officials will again be allowed to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently postponing the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adjust to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
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