More than 180 people rescued from Channel in deadly weekend
More than 180 people were rescued and five died over the weekend while trying to cross the Channel to the UK in ice-cold waters and sub-zero air temperatures, the French authorities have said.
The maritime prefecture said it had been on alert since Friday and at least four rescue operations had been carried out, with five people dying in the early hours of Sunday off the coast of Wimereux, in Pas-de-Calais.
“In all, 182 people were rescued offshore by French resources during the night of January 13 to January 14, 2024 and during the day on January 14,” the prefecture said in a statement on Monday.
The maritime prefect of the Pas-de-Calais region, Jacques Billant, told reporters it was a “very intense episode” but that the authorities would continue to be on alert until Wednesday when the sub-zero temperatures were expected to give way to snow and squally waters.
About 15 miles (25km) south of Wimereux, 59 people were rescued from a boat in difficulty off the coast from Neufchâtel-Hardelot during the day on Saturday.
Crew on the patrol boat Abeille Normandie initially rescued 33 people from the vessel, the prefecture said.
“Several people still onboard refused the assistance offered by the French resources and continued on their way. In liaison with Cross Gris-Nez, the Abeille Normandie continued to monitor the boat, which stopped a second time. The Abeille Normandie then rescued 26 of the shipwrecked. The 59 shipwrecked men were then brought alongside at Boulogne-sur-Mer,” the prefecture said.
The Dauphin helicopter was deployed several times during the night and day to search for boats.
In the evening, the Abeille Normandie was called to another boat in difficulty and 58 people were rescued off the coast of Ambleteuse, about 3 miles north of Wimereux.
Twenty people were rescued off the coast of Pointe aux Oies, 2 miles north of Wimereux, by a crew on the Gris-Nex patrol boat, with naval support and the Rhone assistance vessel. The prefecture said several people onboard refused assistance and continued on their way.
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The French authorities said they could not risk compelling people to transfer from the small boats to rescue vessels because of the risk of them falling into the freezing water.
The migrants were attended by emergency service personnel at Boulougne-sur-Mer.
Pictures of those rescued after the fatal incident in Wimereux showed several small children wrapped in thermal blankets with La Voix du Nord, the local paper, reporting a baby was among those rescued.