🔗 Share this article French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure France has agreed to start intercepting small boats in the English Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the UK. This policy shift follows the British leader sent a letter to the French leader urging him to back the plan and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage. French security forces will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to official confirmation. French authorities have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both personnel and individuals. "It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel." Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting human life. Notably, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential technique to disable the propellers of the vessels. This determination to take action at all is a major advancement, following a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from office. This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat. Currently French officials will again be permitted to intercept boats before they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped. Strong winds are presently postponing the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adjust to evade detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances. UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment. Related Developments Reasons Britain can't just send back migrants to French territory France withdrawing from pledge to stop asylum boats UK immigration Channel crossings Border security