France will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure

French officials have consented to start intercepting small boats in the Channel, after months of pressure from the UK.

This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President urging him to support the initiative and stating there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.

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

French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered too great a danger to both personnel and civilians.

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

Now, a French naval police spokesperson states personnel will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.

Notably, the official ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the propellers of the boats.

The decision to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which ceased when the former government official left office.

That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.

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

Powerful gusts are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking methods 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 approached for response.

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