France will start intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel following British demands
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President asking him to back the plan and stating there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, 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 danger to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police representative says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the former government official left government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and President, when French police were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Now French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up migrant individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for methods to adjust to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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