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

French officials have consented to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, after months of pressure from the UK.

This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to support the initiative and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" 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 passengers, according to official statements.

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

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

Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.

Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential method to snarl the engines of the vessels.

This determination to take action at all is a major step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from office.

This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.

Now French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.

Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adapt to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

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

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