French authorities rescued 225 migrants in the English Channel ahead of the weekend as the number of crossings to the UK continues to rise. Over the past week, more than 1,400 people have crossed the border, bringing the total for the year to 5,847.
According to British authorities, 1,452 migrants crossed the Channel between March 17 and March 23. This is a record number for such an early period in the year since official record-keeping began in 2018, the BBC reports.
On Friday evening (March 22), a radar detected a migrant boat off the coast of Hardelot, Premar reported. The French naval vessel Jeanne Barret was dispatched to the scene and found the boat’s engine had failed. A total of 57 people were rescued and taken to Boulogne-sur-Mer.
During the night of March 20-21, French authorities spotted several boats attempting to cross the Channel. The first vessel also encountered difficulties, leading to the evacuation of 62 migrants to Boulogne-sur-Mer. Another group of 35 people was rescued by the patrol vessel L’Abeille Normandie. Among them, two were injured, and one person was found unconscious. The injured individual was airlifted to a hospital, where their condition was stabilized.
Later that same night, another 63 people were rescued and taken to Boulogne. Near Dunkirk, eight individuals were taken off a boat, but the rest chose to continue their journey to the UK.
Since the beginning of the year, at least eight people have died attempting to cross the Channel. In 2024, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) identified this route as the deadliest for migrants, with at least 78 recorded deaths, including 14 children. According to the UN’s “Missing Migrants” project, the actual death toll could be as high as 82.
