French authorities to begin stopping migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the British leader wrote to the President urging him to support the plan and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have infrequently acted to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police representative says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a brief shift towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from government.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Now French authorities will once more be permitted to intercept boats before they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for ways to adapt to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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