France will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure

French officials have consented to begin stopping small boats in the English Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.

This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to back the initiative and stating there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.

French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative statements.

French police have infrequently intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.

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

Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson says personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.

Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential method to disable the engines of the boats.

The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the previous government official departed from government.

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

Now French officials will again be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.

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

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