French authorities to begin intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, following months of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader urging him to support the plan and stating there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French police have infrequently intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will start taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a major advancement, following a short-lived change towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the former government official departed from government.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the UK leader and French president, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Now French authorities will again be permitted to intercept boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently postponing the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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