French authorities to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure

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

The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the President urging him to back the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.

French maritime police will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official confirmation.

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

"It is essential that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."

Now, a French maritime police representative states personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.

Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential method to disable the engines of the vessels.

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

This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.

Currently French officials will again be allowed to stop boats before they collect migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.

Powerful gusts are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for methods to adapt to evade detection, as they have done so often in the past.

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

Related Developments

• Why UK cannot just send back migrants to France
• France withdrawing from commitment to intercept migrant boats