France will start stopping small boats in Channel after British demands

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

The change in policy follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to support the plan and stating there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

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

French police have infrequently intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.

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

Now, a French naval police representative says officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.

Significantly, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the vessels.

This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a brief shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from government.

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

Now French authorities will again be permitted to stop boats prior to 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 stopped.

Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.

UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.

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