French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President asking him to support the plan and saying there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
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 statements.
French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police representative states personnel will start intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible technique to disable the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant advancement, coming after a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous government official left office.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Now French authorities will again be permitted to stop boats prior to they pick up migrant individuals from the beaches of northern France, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to evade detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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