France will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel following British demands
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the British leader sent a letter to the French leader asking him to support the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered too great a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to snarl the propellers of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a major step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which dropped off when the former government official departed from office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be looking for ways to adjust to evade detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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