LONDON, Oct 11, 2021 (BSS/AFP) - Britain has rescued or intercepted a total
of 1,115 migrants attempting to cross the Channel over just two days, the
country's interior ministry said on Sunday.

  Rising numbers of Channel crossings by migrants in small boats have
contributed to growing tensions between the UK and France following Britain's
departure from the EU at the start of this year.

  On Saturday, British authorities said they had recovered 491 people in 17
operations and 624 people in 23 operations on Friday, while French
authorities prevented 414 migrants from reaching Britain over the same two
days.

  On Sunday the French authorities said they had rescued a further 342
migrants who were attempting the crossing.

  Dan O'Mahoney, who heads the Home Office team looking to curb the number of
migrants reaching the UK, said the government was "determined" to tackle what
he called the "unacceptable rise in dangerous Channel crossings".

  "Working with police and international partners, there have been nearly 300
arrests, 65 convictions related to small boat criminality and our targeted
efforts have prevented more than 13,500 migrant attempts so far this year,"
O'Mahoney said.

  According to a count by Britain's domestic news agency PA, more than 17,000
migrants have made the crossing to Britain in small boats since the beginning
of the year, more than double the figure for the whole of 2020.

  During a visit on Saturday to Loon-Plage in northern France, French
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin called for a migration treaty between the
EU and Britain.

  He also asked the British government to honour its commitment to pay France
œ54 million ($74 million, 63 million euros) to finance the reinforcement of
French police forces on the coast.

  "We are asking the British to keep their promises of financing because we
are holding the border for them," Darmanin said.

  After promising to take back control of the country's borders following
Brexit, Britain's ruling Conservative party has proposed legislation to
overhaul asylum rules.

  It wants stricter jail terms for people smugglers and, controversially,
migrants themselves.