France to begin stopping migrant vessels in English Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President asking him to back the initiative and stating there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French police have infrequently intervened to prevent the overcrowded 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 methods this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the previous government official departed from government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up migrant individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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- Reasons UK cannot just return migrants to France
- French government withdrawing from commitment to intercept migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
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