French authorities will start intercepting migrant vessels in Channel following British demands
France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, following months of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader urging him to back the initiative and stating there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have infrequently intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered too great a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police representative states personnel will start taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, following a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister left government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for ways to adapt to evade detection, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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