France will start stopping migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure

France has agreed to begin stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the UK.

This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the French leader asking him to back the plan and stating there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.

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

French authorities have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both personnel and individuals.

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

Now, a French naval police spokesperson states personnel will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.

Significantly, the official ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential method to disable the propellers of the vessels.

The decision to take action at all is a significant step forward, following a short-lived change towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous government official left government.

That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.

Now French authorities will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are currently postponing the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be seeking ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the past.

The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.

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