The UK rescued or intercepted 1,115 migrants crossing the Channel in small boats on Friday and Saturday, the UK Home Office reported on Sunday (October 10th).
British authorities rescued 491 people in 17 operations on Saturday and 624 people in 23 operations on Friday. The British Home Office also claims that the French authorities prevented 114 people from reaching the English coast on Saturday, 300 on Friday.
In a statement, Commander Dan O’Mahoney, in charge of the clandestine threat in the Channel, underlined the determination of the British government to fight against the “Unacceptable increase” of these dangerous crossings. The British government has started to pass a controversial bill reforming the asylum system and providing for tougher penalties, increasing to life in prison, from the current fourteen years, the maximum penalty for smugglers.
“In collaboration with the police and our international partners, more than 300 arrests and 65 convictions have been carried out”, and “Our targeted efforts have made it possible to prevent more than 13,500 attempts” crossings since the start of the year, he added.
Source of tensions between London and Paris
According to a count by the British news agency PA, more than 17,000 migrants have managed to make the crossing to England in small boats since the start of the year, more than double the figure for the whole. of the year 2020.
The subject is regularly a source of tension between London and Paris. During a trip to Loon-Plage (North) on Saturday, the French Interior Minister, Gerald Darmanin, asked for a migration treaty to be negotiated between the European Union and the United Kingdom. He also asked the British government to honor its commitment to pay France 62.7 million euros in 2021-2022 to finance the increased presence of French law enforcement on the coasts.
“We call on the English to keep their promise of funding since we hold the border for them”, did he declare.