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

French officials have consented to begin stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the UK.

This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to support the plan and saying there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.

French security forces have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative statements.

French police have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.

"It is essential that we deploy these methods this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."

Currently, a French naval police spokesperson states personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.

Notably, the official ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible technique to disable the propellers of the vessels.

The decision to intervene at all is a major step forward, following a short-lived change towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous government official departed from office.

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

Now French officials will once more be permitted to stop boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of northern France, however it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.

Strong winds are currently postponing the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for methods to adjust to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.

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