France to begin intercepting small boats in English Channel following British demands

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

This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to back the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

French maritime police have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative statements.

French police have infrequently acted to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.

"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."

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

Notably, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible method to disable 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 summer, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister left office.

This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.

Currently French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, although it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are presently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to evade detection, as they have done so often in the past.

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

Related Developments

• Reasons Britain cannot just send back migrants to French territory
• French government withdrawing from pledge to stop asylum boats