France to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel following British demands

French officials have consented to begin intercepting small boats in the English Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.

This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to support the plan and saying there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

French maritime police will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative statements.

French authorities have rarely acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a risk to both officers and civilians.

"It is essential that we implement these methods this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."

Now, a French naval police representative says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.

Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible technique to snarl the propellers of the vessels.

The decision to intervene at all is a major step forward, following a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister left government.

That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.

Currently French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up migrant individuals from the beaches of northern France, although it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are presently postponing the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

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

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