French authorities will start intercepting migrant vessels in Channel following British demands
French officials have consented to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy follows the British leader sent a letter to the President urging him to support the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have rarely acted to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police representative says personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding 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 engines of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a short-lived shift towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the previous government official departed from office.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Currently French officials will once more be permitted to stop boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking methods to adjust to evade interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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