French authorities to begin intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting small boats in the English Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the French leader urging him to back the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French police have infrequently intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police representative says personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible method to disable the propellers of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, coming after a brief shift towards a stricter approach this summer, which dropped off when the previous government official left office.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when French police were observed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adjust to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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