🔗 Share this article French authorities to begin stopping small boats in Channel after UK pressure French officials have consented to begin stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, after months of insistence from the UK. This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the President urging him to back the initiative and stating there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel. French security forces will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative statements. French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both personnel and individuals. "It is essential that we deploy these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters." Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting lives. Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the vessels. The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former government official left office. This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel. Currently French officials will again be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of northern France, although it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented. Powerful gusts are currently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for ways to adjust to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the past. The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response. Connected Updates Why UK can't just return asylum seekers to French territory French government withdrawing from pledge to stop migrant boats UK immigration Channel crossings Border security