🔗 Share this article French authorities will start intercepting small boats in Channel following British demands France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom. This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to support the plan and stating there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage. French maritime police have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements. French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both officers and civilians. "It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters." Now, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life. Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the vessels. This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former government official departed from office. This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a boat. Now French authorities will again be permitted to intercept boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented. Strong winds are currently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the past. The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for comment. Connected Updates Why UK can't just send back asylum seekers to France French government backing away from pledge to stop migrant boats UK immigration Channel crossings Border security