Migrants rescued in the English Channel (photo illustration) - Handout / SOCIETE NATIONAL DE SAUVETAGE EN MER / AFP

Sixteen migrants who tried to cross the Channel on small boats were rescued on Tuesday during three separate operations, announced the maritime prefecture.

At around 10:50 a.m., the maritime and port security platoon (PSMP) of the maritime gendarmerie of Calais took charge of “two castaways” whose boat was in difficulty off Oye-Plage (Pas-de-Calais), reported the maritime prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea in a press release. These two people, who were in a "state of advanced fatigue", were brought back to the port of Calais and taken care of by firefighters and border police.

On the same day, the Delft Seaways ferry reported to Cross Gris-Nez "the presence of a boat in difficulty about 9 km north-east of Calais with four people on board". These migrants were taken care of by the coastal gendarmerie patroller (PCG) Aramis who, on the way back to the port of Calais, also took care of 10 other people whose boat was in difficulty.

  • Society
  • Rescue
  • Migrants