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

France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the English Channel, after months of pressure from the UK.

The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to support the plan and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.

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

French authorities have infrequently intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both personnel and civilians.

"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."

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

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

This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous government official departed from office.

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

Currently French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats prior to they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.

Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be seeking methods to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the past.

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

Connected Updates

• Why Britain can't just return asylum seekers to France
• French government backing away from pledge to intercept asylum boats