French authorities will start stopping small boats in Channel following UK pressure

French officials have consented to start intercepting small boats in the Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.

This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader urging him to support the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.

French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official confirmation.

French authorities have infrequently acted to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.

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

Now, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will start taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.

Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the boats.

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

This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.

Currently French officials will again be permitted to intercept boats prior to they pick up migrant passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.

Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adjust to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for response.

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