France to begin stopping migrant vessels in English Channel after British demands

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

This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President urging him to back the initiative and stating there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.

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 authorities have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.

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

Currently, a French naval police spokesperson states personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.

Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential method to disable the propellers of the vessels.

This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the previous government official left government.

That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.

Currently French authorities will once more be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are presently postponing the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for methods to adjust to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past.

UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.

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