French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in English Channel after British demands

French officials have consented to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.

The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to support the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.

French security forces have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.

French police have infrequently intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both personnel and civilians.

"It is essential that we implement these methods this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."

Currently, a French naval police representative states officers will start intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.

Significantly, the official ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible technique to disable the propellers of the vessels.

This determination to intervene at all is a major advancement, coming after a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the previous government official departed from government.

That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.

Currently French authorities will once more be permitted to intercept boats before they pick up migrant individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.

Powerful gusts are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past.

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

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