French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure

France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the UK.

The change in policy follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to back the plan and stating there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.

French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to official confirmation.

French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and individuals.

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

Now, a French naval police representative states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.

Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible technique to disable the engines of the vessels.

The decision to intervene at all is a significant advancement, coming after a short-lived shift towards a stricter approach this summer, which dropped off when the former government official departed from office.

This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.

Now French officials will once more be allowed to stop boats before they collect migrant individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past.

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

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