On Christmas Day, the French Coast Guard once again picked up illegal migrants from the sea trying to reach England by boat. It would involve a total of six rescue operations in collaboration with the British coastguard, in which approximately 40 people were rescued from the sea.
On 25 December, around 8 am, the Coast Guard Center CROSS Gris-Nez was warned by the crews of two cargo ships that they had seen a small boat with people in the traffic separation area. A few minutes later there was a report from the medical assistance service SAMU that 9 migrants were in need 12 miles north of Calais.
The French Coast Guard sent a Dauphin helicopter to the area to find the people. ‘Abeille Languedoc’, a response assistance and salvage tug, and the fast patrol boat ‘Escaut’ of the maritime border police from Dunkirk were called to assist the search.
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After more than an hour, the helicopter found the boat, with 8 people, including 2 children. They were found to have an engine problem.
On Wednesday, December 26, the ‘Abeille Languedoc’ encountered a boat again during a surveillance, again near the traffic separation area, 10 miles off the coast of Calais. 3 people were onboard who were arrested by the patrol ship of the British Border Force.
In four other cases about 30 people were picked up during the two Christmas days.
Furthermore, according to BBC, 23 migrants, including 3 children, have been detained in Kent after crossing the Channel in small boats.
