FOURMENTIN

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Latest news

20 migrants rescued off Berck-sur-mer

On the early morning of Sep 16, the CROSS Griz-Nez was informed via the emergency medical aid service (SAMU) 62 of the presence of a migrant boat in the Berck-sur-mer sector. The CROSS deployed the 'Jacques Oudart Fourmentin' to locate and monitor the boat. After several hours of navigation, some people on the boat requested assistance from the patrol vessel, which then rescued 20 people, The other migrants were wishing to continue. Given the risks of falling overboard or injury incurred by the people in the event of forced intervention, the decision was made to let them continue their journey. The others were dropped off at the quay of the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer.

More than 200 migrants rescued within 24 hours

On the night of Sep 13, the CROSS Gris-Nez was informed that a migrant boat located in the Portel sector required assistance. The CROSS deployed the 'Jacques Oudart Fourmentin' as well as the gendarmerie patrol boat 'Maroni and a Dauphin helicopter of the French Navy. The boat was in poor condition and that the migrants were asking to be picked up. The lifeboat 'Président Jacques Lebrun-SNS 6295' from Boulogne-sur-mer also arrived in the area, followed by the fishing vessel 'Corentin Lucas'. 55 people were rescued. In addition to this operation, a further 61 people were rescued by the 'Maroni' off the coast of La Becque d’Hardelot, 48 people by the 'Ridens' near the old Walde lighthouse, while 25 other migrants remained on board the boat and continued their journey. They were finally recovered by the 'BF Voluntteer' in the English zone. The 'Jacques Oudart Fourmentin ' rescued 36 people at the end of the day. In total, 200 shipwrecked people were rescued and brought back to land, by the State resources deployed in this maritime zone. 18 attempts at boat departures were monitored by the CROSS Gris Nez, over the course of the day.

57 migrants recovered from boat, one rescued from the water, two missing

On Sep 7, 2024, the CROSS Gris-Nez was informed that a migrant boat has set sail off Berck and deployed the 'Jacques Oudart Fourmentin' to relocate the boat and check the situation in the area. At the same time, a migrant on board the boat reported to the CROSS that a person had fallen into the water. The CROSS engaged the semi-rigid of the SNSM station of Berck, the 'SNS 709 Jean Baptiste Fournier' and the Dauphin helicopter of the French Navy based in Le Touquet. The 'SNS 709' located and recovered the conscious person on board who was immediately dropped off ashore and taken care of by the mobile emergency and resuscitation structure (SMUR). At the same time, 57 people on board the boat requested assistance from the patrol boat. About 15 people still on board refused the assistance offered by French resources and continued their journey under appropriate surveillance. Once the rescue was completed, the crew wasinformed that two people had fallen overboard, in order to come to the aid of the first person who fell into the water during the attempted crossing. The patrol boat and the hydrographic vessel 'Laplace', which was in the area then began searching. The CROSS Gris-Nez simultaneously engaged the Dauphin helicopter of the French Navy as well as the helicopter of the air gendarmerie section of Amiens to try to find other people at sea. At the same time, the land patrols of the firefighters and the SNSM carried out a coastline and did not detect any shipwrecked people. After the sector was ully investigated, the maritime prefect of the Channel and the North Sea decided to interrupt the search. An investigation was opened by the Boulogne-sur-Mer public prosecutor's office.