French authorities to begin stopping migrant vessels in English Channel after UK pressure

France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the UK.

This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to support the plan and saying there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

French security forces will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative statements.

French police have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.

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

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

Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the vessels.

This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, 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 the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.

Currently French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.

Strong winds are currently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adjust to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.

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