French authorities to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure

France has agreed to start intercepting small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the UK.

This policy shift comes after the British leader wrote to the President asking him to back the initiative and stating there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

French maritime police will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to official statements.

French police have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both personnel and civilians.

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

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

Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible method to snarl the engines of the boats.

The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former government official left office.

That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.

Now French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.

Strong winds are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for methods to adjust to evade detection, as they have done so often in the past.

UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for response.