French authorities will start intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the President urging him to back the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements.
French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson states officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential method to disable the engines of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, following a brief shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former government official departed from office.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Currently French authorities will again be permitted to stop boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for ways to adjust to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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