France to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel following British demands
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to back the initiative and stating there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have rarely acted to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Notably, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential method to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left government.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will once more be permitted to intercept boats before they collect migrant passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking ways to adjust to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.
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