France to begin stopping migrant vessels in English Channel following British demands

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

The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the French leader asking him to back the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

French security forces have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to official confirmation.

French police have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both personnel and civilians.

"It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."

Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will start taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.

Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential method to snarl the engines of the boats.

This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived change towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous government official departed from office.

This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.

Now French authorities will once more be allowed to intercept boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking ways to adjust to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.

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