On Sunday and Monday, 213 migrants were saved who wanted to cross the channel by boat to the UK. That’s what the French Maritime Prefecture reported. The migrants were rescued during several operations off the coast of the Northern Department and Pas-de-Calais.
During the night of Sunday to Monday, ‘numerous ‘ boats in distress were reported, and the interventions continued during the day, according to the prefecture De La Manche et de la mer du Nord (Premar).
A navy ship was able to take 82 people to safety during four rescue operations. A further 76 others were rescued during two interventions by SNSM from Dunkirk. And the SNSM of Boulogne-sur-mer was able to save 40 drowning people from a sinking boat, who were hypothermic. Fifteen migrants, finally, were rescued by another ship of the Navy and brought to the Port of Boulogne-sur-mer.
Since the end of 2018, the number of attempts to reach the UK illegally via the channel has risen sharply. The authorities keep warning of the dangers associated with the many ships sailing on the canal, the strong current and the low temperature of the water.
According to the maritime prefect Philippe Dutrieux, some 15,400 migrants tried to cross the channel between 1 January and 31 August. 3,500 of them were saved while in trouble. In 2020, 9,500 people tried to reach the UK, 2,300 in 2019 and only 600 in 2018.
No Comments