France to begin stopping migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure

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

This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to back the initiative and stating there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.

French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official confirmation.

French police have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both personnel and individuals.

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

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

Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the vessels.

The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a brief change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former government official left office.

This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.

Now French authorities will again be allowed to stop boats before they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adjust to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.

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

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