France to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President urging him to support the plan and saying there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
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 authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police representative says officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible method to disable the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to take action at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the previous government official left office.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Currently French officials will again be allowed to stop boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently delaying the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adjust to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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