France will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure

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

The change in policy comes after the British leader wrote to the President urging him to back the plan and stating there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative statements.

French police have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and civilians.

"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."

Now, a French maritime police spokesperson states officers will start taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.

Notably, the official ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible method to disable the propellers of the vessels.

The decision to intervene at all is a significant advancement, following a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the former government official departed from government.

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

Currently French authorities will again be permitted to stop boats prior to they pick up migrant individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.

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