French authorities to begin stopping migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, following months of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to back the initiative and stating there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.
French police have infrequently acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson states personnel will start intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible technique to disable the propellers of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from government.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of northern France, however it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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