France to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to begin stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy follows the British leader sent a letter to the President asking him to support the plan and saying there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police representative says personnel will start taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential method to disable the engines of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a major advancement, following a brief change towards a stricter approach this summer, which ceased when the previous government official left government.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Now French authorities will again be permitted to stop boats before they pick up migrant individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adjust to evade interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.
Connected Updates
- Reasons Britain can't just return migrants to French territory
- French government withdrawing from commitment to intercept migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
