French authorities to begin intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to back the initiative and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have rarely intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police representative states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible technique to snarl the propellers of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a stricter approach this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister left government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Now French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking methods to adapt to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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