French authorities to begin stopping migrant vessels in English Channel after UK pressure

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

This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader urging him to support the plan and stating there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.

French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative statements.

French police have infrequently acted to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both personnel and civilians.

"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."

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

Notably, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the boats.

This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, coming after a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister left government.

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

Now French authorities will again be permitted to intercept 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 currently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adjust to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.

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