French authorities will start intercepting migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure

France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.

This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to back the initiative and stating there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.

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

French police have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and individuals.

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

Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.

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

This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister left office.

That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.

Currently French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats before they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.

Strong winds are presently delaying the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking methods to adjust to evade detection, as they have done so often in the past.

UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.

Connected Developments

• Reasons UK can't just send back migrants to France
• France backing away from commitment to stop migrant boats