France to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel after British demands
France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, after months of pressure from the UK.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President urging him to support the plan and saying there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.
French authorities have infrequently acted to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered too great a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential method to snarl the propellers of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter approach this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French officials will again be allowed to stop boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking methods to adjust to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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