🔗 Share this article French authorities will start intercepting small boats in English Channel following British demands France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the UK. The change in policy comes after the British leader wrote 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 have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation. French authorities have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both personnel and individuals. "It is crucial that we implement these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel." Now, a French maritime police spokesperson states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life. Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to disable the engines of the vessels. This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived change towards a stricter approach this summer, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left office. This was demonstrated in July, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat. Currently French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented. Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking methods to adapt to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances. UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for response. Related Developments Why UK can't just send back asylum seekers to France French government backing away from pledge to intercept asylum boats UK immigration Channel crossings Border security