France to begin stopping small boats in English Channel following UK pressure

France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.

The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to support the initiative and stating there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

French security forces have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to official confirmation.

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

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

Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson states personnel will start taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.

Significantly, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential method to disable the propellers of the vessels.

This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister left government.

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

Now French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for ways to adjust to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

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

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