French authorities to begin intercepting small boats in Channel following UK pressure

France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the UK.

The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the French leader asking him to back the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.

French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative statements.

French police have rarely intervened to stop 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 implement these methods this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."

Now, a French naval police representative states personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.

Significantly, the official ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a potential technique to disable the engines of the vessels.

This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived shift towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister left office.

That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.

Currently French authorities will once more be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for methods to adjust to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.

Related Developments

• Why Britain can't just return asylum seekers to France
• France withdrawing from pledge to intercept migrant boats