France will start intercepting small boats in English Channel after UK pressure

France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.

The change in policy comes after the British leader wrote to the President urging him to back the initiative and stating there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.

French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.

French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both officers and individuals.

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

Now, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.

Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible technique to disable the engines of the vessels.

This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister departed from office.

This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.

Now French officials will again be permitted to intercept boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking ways to adjust to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the past.

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

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