French Authorities Rescue 272 Migrants in Channel on Way to UK

French authorities revealed that it has rescued 272 undocumented migrants off the coast of the Pas-de-Calais in the English Channel, who had set sail on rickety boats from the country’s northern coast in an attempt to reach the British territory.

According to a statement by the Security Directorate of the English Channel and the North Sea, all 272 rescued migrants were taken to the ports of Calais, Dunkirk, and Boulogne-sur-Mer, and were taken over by border police and firefighters.

"A small boat carried 48 migrants, including around a number of minors, after picking them up in ten separate operations in English Channel search and rescue areas, one of which was carried out by a commercial ship," the Security Directorate of the English Channel and the North Sea reported.

In this regard, a naval gendarmerie boat provided 48 people with aid during three rescue operations. The directorate counted a total of 10 remote rescue operations, one of which was carried out by a commercial ship.

In a recently released report by French authorities, it mentioned that about 15,400 migrants tried to cross the Channel in the first eight months of this year, 3,500 of whom “were experiencing difficulties when they were rescued” and were returned to the French coast.

Also, yesterday, England and France agreed to accelerate the delivery of the commitments made in the joint agreement of July 2021 to deliver on their joint determination to prevent 100% of crossings and make this deadly route unviable.”

It’s worth mentioning that the UN agencies urged countries to grant merchant vessels rescuing people in distress “swift permission” for disembarkation in safe ports.