French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in English Channel after British demands

France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.

This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the French leader asking him to back the initiative and stating there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.

French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to official statements.

French police have infrequently acted to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and individuals.

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

Currently, a French maritime police representative says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.

Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential method to disable the engines of the boats.

The decision to take action at all is a significant advancement, coming after a brief shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which dropped off when the previous government official departed from government.

This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.

Currently French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.

Strong winds are presently postponing the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking ways to adjust to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.

The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for response.

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