France will start intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel after British demands
France has agreed to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to support the initiative and stating there currently "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 official statements.
French authorities have infrequently intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson states officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a major step forward, following a short-lived change towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister departed from office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Currently French officials will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the start of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be seeking methods to adjust to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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- Why Britain cannot just send back migrants to France
- France backing away from commitment to intercept migrant boats
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