French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure

France has agreed to start intercepting small boats in the Channel, following months of pressure from the United Kingdom.

The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the French leader asking him to back the plan and saying 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 collected their migrants, according to official statements.

French police have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered too great a risk to both officers and individuals.

"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."

Currently, a French naval police representative states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.

Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential technique to snarl the propellers of the boats.

This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which dropped off when the former government official left office.

This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.

Now French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.

Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for methods to adapt to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the past.

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

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