French authorities to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the English Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the British leader sent a letter to the French leader asking him to support the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have infrequently acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered too great a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police representative says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential method to snarl the engines of the vessels.
The decision to take action at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the previous government official departed from government.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Now French authorities will again be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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