French authorities to begin intercepting small boats in English Channel following British demands

France has agreed to start intercepting small boats in the Channel, after months of pressure from the United Kingdom.

The change in policy follows the British leader sent a letter to the President urging him to back the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

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

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

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

Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.

Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to disable the engines of the vessels.

This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a short-lived shift towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the former government official left office.

This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.

Now French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect migrant passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

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

Connected Updates

• Reasons Britain cannot just return migrants to France
• French government withdrawing from pledge to intercept migrant boats