French authorities reported the rescue of 107 migrants attempting to traverse the Channel from France to England on Wednesday.
On Christmas Day, a total of 12 rescue operations were conducted along the northern French coastline, including one involving a vessel that was experiencing engine difficulties, as stated by France’s Channel and North Sea maritime prefecture.
In the morning hours, 30 individuals were saved from a boat near Dunkirk, while the remaining passengers expressed a desire to continue their journey and were subsequently taken into British custody upon entering British waters, according to maritime officials.
Later in the day, another boat with engine issues was detected near Dunkirk, leading to the rescue of all 51 individuals aboard.
Additionally, 26 people were rescued from a boat facing difficulties near Calais.
The English Channel is characterized as “a particularly dangerous area, especially during the winter months for precarious and overloaded vessels,” as noted in the statement.
This year, at least 73 migrants have lost their lives attempting to cross the Channel to Britain, according to Pas-de-Calais authorities, marking 2024 as the deadliest year on record for such crossings.
Tens of thousands of others have successfully reached Britain, where the government has pledged to intensify efforts against people-smuggling organizations.
In November, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized the need for enhanced international collaboration to combat these gangs, which he labeled as a “global security threat akin to terrorism.”
