France to begin stopping migrant vessels in English Channel after UK pressure

French officials have consented to start intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.

This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to support the initiative and saying there currently "have no 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 passengers, according to official confirmation.

French authorities have rarely acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.

"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."

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

Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential technique to snarl the propellers of the vessels.

This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, coming after a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which ceased when the former government official departed from office.

This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.

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

Powerful gusts are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adjust to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.