French rescue services saved 107 migrants in distress in the English Channel on December 25, as reported by the maritime prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea.
According to the statement, rescue operations were carried out throughout the day, and preliminary reports indicated no casualties. A spokesperson for the prefecture described the day as highly intense.
Favorable weather conditions led to numerous attempts by migrants to cross the Channel, departing from the northern French coast between Dieppe and Leffrinckoucke. The Gris-Nez Regional Operational Monitoring and Rescue Center coordinated 12 rescue operations.
In the morning, 30 people were rescued from one of the boats near Dunkirk. The remaining passengers, who opted to stay on board, were later rescued by British authorities once the vessel entered British waters.
In another incident, a boat with a faulty engine was discovered off the coast of Dunkirk, carrying 51 people. All passengers were evacuated. Near Calais, rescuers assisted another 26 migrants aboard a boat facing difficulties.
