“The day was intense but apparently without casualties”indicated a spokesperson for the maritime prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea (Prémar). Due to favorable weather conditions, “numerous departures of migrant boats” were observed on Wednesday December 25 on the coast of northern France, from Dieppe (Seine-Maritime) to Leffrinckoucke near Dunkirk (North).
Throughout the day, 12 assistance and rescue operations were coordinated by the regional operational surveillance and rescue center (Cross) Gris-Nez. A total of 107 migrants, who were trying to reach England and found themselves in distress at sea, were rescued in the Strait of Pas-de-Calais by French means on Christmas Day.
Deadliest year for migrants crossing the Channel
Thirty occupants of a boat off the Dunkirk sector were first rescued early in the day. The other occupants who wished to remain on board were “taken care of by British assets once arriving in British waters”according to Prémar.
Still off the coast of Dunkirk, another migrant boat was later reported to be in difficulty due to a “engine failure”. Its 51 occupants were recovered. Finally, 26 people were rescued aboard a boat in difficulty reported near Calais.
The Channel is “a particularly dangerous sector, particularly in the middle of winter for precarious and overloaded boats”recalls Prémar.
At least 73 candidates for exile have died while attempting the sea crossing to reach England since the start of the year, according to the Pas-de-Calais prefecture. This makes 2024 the deadliest year since the emergence of the phenomenon of « small boats » in the Channel in 2018.
