France will start intercepting migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure

French officials have consented to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.

This policy shift comes after the British leader wrote to the President asking him to support the plan and stating there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.

French security forces have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements.

French authorities have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and civilians.

"It is essential that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."

Currently, a French maritime police representative states personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.

Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential method to disable the propellers of the boats.

This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister left government.

This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a summit between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.

Currently French authorities will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.

Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adjust to evade detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.

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

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