Sixteen migrants were rescued on Friday, October 9 during two separate operations as they attempted to cross the Channel on board makeshift boats, the maritime prefecture said in the evening.
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At around 5.45 am, a first boat was "
reported in difficulty
" off Les Hemmes de Marck (Pas-de-Calais).
The “
six castaways
” were recovered aboard a Calais SNSM dinghy then dropped off at the port of Calais around 7:45 am, according to a press release from the maritime prefecture.
Samu Pas-de-Calais then contacted the maritime authorities around 10:30 am, reporting a new boat off Oye-Plage.
Rescued by a patrol boat from the French Navy, the ten migrants who were on board were brought back to the port of Calais around 3:00 p.m.
"
All safe and sound
", they were handed over to the border police.
Since January 1, at least 1,332 migrants have been rescued by French authorities as they tried to cross the Channel using makeshift boats or by swimming, according to an AFP count.
The Channel is "
one of the busiest areas in the world and where the weather conditions are often difficult (120 days of wind greater than or equal to force 7 on annual average for example) and therefore dangerous for human life
", recalls the maritime prefecture. .