SNS276

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Numerous rescue operations for migrant boats

On the night of March 19, numerous departures of migrant boats were reported to the CROSS Gris-Nez, which initially engaged the 'Ridens' in the Dunkirk Channel to monitor an overloaded, precarious boat that had left the west port of Dunkirk at 11:30 p.m., with approximately 40 people on board. At around 3:00 a.m., the boat picked up a new group of people on the coast of Gravelines. The 'Ridens' rescued three people in difficulty in the water, then a group of 12 people aboard the boat requesting evacuation. Among those rescued, one was unconscious. The CROSS Gris-Nez immediately deployed the French Navy's Dauphin helicopter based in Le Touquet, with a medical team from the SMUR from Boulogne-sur-Mer on board, as well as the lifeboat 'SNS 276- Notre-Dame des Flandres', based in Gravelines. The unconscious person was treated by the medical team, which was hoisted aboard the 'Ridens'. The medical treatment was unsuccessful in resuscitating the person, who was declared deceased. The 15 people were disembarked at the port of Gravelines by the lifeboat and taken care of by the emergency services on land. An investigation was opened by the Dunkirk prosecutor's office. The 'Ridens' continued to monitor the boat as it made its way towards the United Kingdom with approximately 80 people on board. After coordinating the rescue of two migrants who had fallen overboard and were evacuated to Boulogne-sur-Mer, the CROSS Gris-Nez continued to monitor the boat on which the two rescued individuals had attempted to board earlier on the morning. At midday, following a request for assistance from the migrants, the patrol boat 'Jeanne Barret' rescued the occupants of the boat and initially took 11 people on board, including one unconscious person, while the lifeboat 'SNS 076-Président Jacques Huret' from the Boulogne-sur-Mer SNSM station reinforced the resources on site. While the 'Jeanne Barret' rescued the migrants from the precarious boat, the lifeboat, after having arrived on the scene, provided medical care to the person who had regained consciousness and two other migrants. All 50 people rescued from the boat were taken to Boulogne-sur-Mer by mid-afternoon and treated by land-based rescue services. On March 19, 2025, shortly after 9:00 a.m., the CROSS Gris-Nez was informed that a group of people attempting to board an rubber boat for an attempt to cross the Strait of Dover was in difficulty in the Equihen beach area. The boat had set sail an hour earlier near Hardelot-Plage. The 'Jeanne Barret', initially deployed by the CROSS Gris-Nez for surveillance, and the National Gendarmerie's RHIB 'Ouranos' were dispatched to the scene. Once on site, two people were detected in the water. One was rescued by the 'Ouranos', suffering from hypothermia, and the other, rescued by the 'Jeanne Barret', was in cardiorespiratory arrest. Both people were evacuated to Boulogne-sur-Mer for treatment by on-shore emergency services. The person in cardiorespiratory arrest was declared deceased despite the intervention of rescue services at sea and on land. At the same time, the CROSS Gris-Nez deployed the semi-rigid 'SNS 6295 Président Jacques Lebrun' from the SNSM station in Boulogne-sur-Mer and the VCSM 'Aber Ildut' to search for possible victims at sea. Other surveillance operations were still underway off the coast of Pas-de-Calais.

37 migrants rescued off Malo-les-Bains

On March 9, 2025, a migrant boat departure was reported to the CROSS Gris-Nez off Malo-les-Bains, which initially engaged the 'SNS 276-Notre-Dame des Flandres' from the Gravelines SNSM station to monitor the boat, then joined by the emergency tug 'Abeille Normandie'. Following the request for assistance from some of the boat's occupants, the 'Abeille Normandie' recovered 37 people on board. Following this recovery, the ship requested medical assistance for one person. The CROSS then set up a conference call with the Toulouse maritime medical consultation center (CCMM) and the 'Abeille Normandie'. Following this conference call, it was recommended that the person be brought back to the quay to be taken care of on land by the land rescue services. The 'Abeille Normandie' then dropped off the 37 migrants at the quay in Boulogne-sur-Mer.

155 migrants rescued in several missions

On Oct 18, several departures of migrant boats were reported to the CROSS Gris-Nez, which deployed hired the PSP 'Flamant' to check the situation in the Calais sector. Once on site, the crew launched their boat and picked up three people on board who were requesting assistance. Several people still on board the boat refused the assistance offered by French resources. The 'Flamant' resumed its surveillance mission. The castaways were then transferred to the lifeboat 'SNS 077 – Notre-Dame du Risban' from the SNSM station in Calais and dropped off at the quayside in Calais, On the morning, another boat was reported to have left off Gravelines The CROSS Gris-nez initially engaged the port security boat 'ESMP 03' from the maritime and port security platoon (PSMP) of Dunkirk of the maritime gendarmerie to relocate the boat. Once on site, it noted that the boat was heavily loaded and ensured its surveillance while the boat continued on its way. The ESMP crew reported to the CROSS that the boat had an engine failure and that the 70 migrants on board were requesting assistance. The CROSS engaged the 'SNS 276 Notre-Dame des Flandres' and the 'SNS 087 Jean Bart II' as well as a second boat from the PSMP of Dunkirk. All the people on board the boat were recovered by the resources in the area and were then dropped off at the quayside in Dunkirk. At the end of the afternoon, a third boat was reported off the coast of Calais. The CROSS initially engaged the 'Minck' to relocate the boat. Once on site, the crew noticed that the boat was heavily loaded and ensured its surveillance while the boat continued on its way. Initially, the migrants on board refused assistance. During the surveillance, the people on board agreed to be rescued. The 'Minck' reported two people in the water, who were quickly recovered by the crew. At the same time, the CROSS engaged the nearby British Coastguard vessel 'BF Defender' for assistance and rescue. The 'Minck' recovered 36 people on board and the 'BF Defender' 46 people. All castaways were dropped off at the quayside in Calais , where the 155 rescued people were taken care of by the land rescue services and the border police.