French authorities to begin intercepting small boats in Channel following British demands

French officials have consented to start intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.

This policy shift follows the British leader sent a letter to the President urging him to support the initiative and stating there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official confirmation.

French authorities have rarely acted to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both personnel and civilians.

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

Currently, a French naval police representative states personnel will start taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.

Notably, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential method to snarl the engines of the vessels.

This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter approach this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from office.

That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.

Currently French authorities will again be allowed to stop boats before they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.

Strong winds are presently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for methods to adapt to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the past.

The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.

Connected Updates

• Reasons Britain can't just send back asylum seekers to French territory
• French government backing away from pledge to stop migrant boats