France will start intercepting small boats in Channel following UK pressure

French officials have consented to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after months of pressure from the UK.

The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the President asking him to support the initiative and stating there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.

French security forces have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative statements.

French police have rarely acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.

"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."

Currently, a French naval police representative states personnel will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.

Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential method to disable the engines of the vessels.

The decision to take action at all is a major step forward, following a brief shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister departed from 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 slash the sides of a boat.

Currently French authorities will once more be permitted to intercept boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.

Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be seeking methods to adapt to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the past.

UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for response.

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