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

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

The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to support the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

French maritime police have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.

French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and individuals.

"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."

Now, a French maritime police representative says personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.

Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to snarl the propellers of the vessels.

This determination to take action at all is a major step forward, following a short-lived change towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the previous government official departed from government.

This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.

Now French officials will again be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.

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

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

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