France to begin intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President urging him to support the plan and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.
French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both personnel and civilians.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will start taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible technique to disable the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous government official left government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Now French authorities will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be looking for methods to adjust to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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