France will start intercepting migrant vessels in Channel following British demands
France has agreed to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, following months of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the French leader asking him to back the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have rarely acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible method to snarl the engines of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a brief shift towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former government official departed from government.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Now French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking ways to adjust to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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