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69 migrants rescued from troubled boat

On March 2, a migrant boat departed in the Walde Lighthouse sector. The CROSS Gris-Nez CROSS deployed the 'Minck' and the PSP 'Pluvier' to assist. In the evening, responding to the request for assistance made by some of the occupants of the boat, the 'Minck' recovered 11 people, while the 'Pluvier' remained in the area to monitor the boat. Later, the 58 people who were still aboard the boat also requested to be rescued and were recovered by the 'Pluvier'. In total, 69 people were rescued and disembarked at the quay in Calais during the night hours. They taken care of by the shore-based rescue services.

69 migrants rescued, one deceased

On the night of Feb 14,, numerous departures of migrant boats were reported to the CROSS Gris-Nez in the Pas de Calais Strait sector. After the departure of a migrant boat off the coast of Calais, the 'Abeille Normandie' was deployed for surveillance. At the end of the night, the monitored boat took on water at the opening of the Calais channel. The 'Abeille Normandie ' immediately came to the aid of the shipwrecked with the help of its two boats, quickly reinforced by the boat of the 'Minck'. The 70 occupants of the boat were rescued, 48 people by the boats of the 'Abeille Normandie' and 22 people by that of the 'Minck'. Only half of the shipwrecked people were equipped with life jackets. The French Navy's Dauphin helicopter based in Le Touquet carried out increased surveillance of the area to confirm the successful recovery of all the shipwrecked peopl. During the rescue, two victims were carried unconscious onto the 'Abeille Normandie'. A medical team from the SMUR of Boulogne-sur-Mer was airlifted onto the tug by the Dauphin helicopter and took care of the victims. Two Belgian rescue crew members were airlifted as reinforcements on board the 'Abeille Normandie' by a Belgian NH-90 sea rescue aircraft. The medical care allowed one of the two people to be resuscitated. The other unconscious victim was evacuated by the Belgian NH90 helicopter to the Marck-en-Calais hospital. The other castaways were dropped off in Calais by the 'Abeille Normandie' and the 'Minck' and taken care of by the rescue services on land in conjunction with the departmental prefecture. The unconscious person was declared dead at the Marck-en-Calais hospital. At the same time, the CROSS Gris-Nez deployed other resources in the Strait of Dover, following numerous crossing attempts reported in the area.

22 migrants rescued in two missions

On the early morning of Feb 12, the Frennch border police informed the CROSS Gris-Nez of a migrant boat leaving near Wimereux. The 'Minck' was deployed to locate the boat. The SAMU then informed the CROSS of distress calls coming from the boat. The 'Minck' was informed by the CROSS, and rescued 16 people from the boat before it continued on its way with the rest of the occupants. Given the risks of falling overboard or of injuries incurred by the people in the event of a forced intervention by French rescue resources, the decision was made to let them continue their journey, while ensuring that their crossing was monitored. The rescued people were brought back to Boulogne-sur-Mer. The same morning, a second boat was reported leaving Le Portel. It was unable to set sail and one person was stranded on a sandbank. The CROSS then engaged the 'Abeille Normandie' as well as a Dauphin helicopter of the French Navy base in Le Touquet, which rescued the person and dropped him off on the beach where he was taken care of by the firefighters. In the meantime, the boat set sail with five occupants. They were rescued at the end of the morning by the 'Abeille Normandie' after the boat had suffered an engine failure. In total, 22 people were rescued at sea under the coordination of the CROSS Gris-Nez.