a migrant declared missing at sea off Boulogne-sur-Mer
A migrant, who was trying to reach England on a boat, was declared missing by his companions on Wednesday. Since Tuesday, nearly 300 migrants have tried to cross to England by sea.
A migrant who was trying to reach England on a boat was declared missing at sea by his crossing companions, themselves rescued by rescuers off Boulogne-sur-Mer, we informed Wednesday to the prefecture of the English Channel and the North Sea.
According to this source, “the rescuers rescued a boat in difficulty” and the castaways then “reported a man overboard”, who was not seen by the rescue. This man had not been found or identified at midday, said the prefecture.
292 migrants brought back to the French coast since Tuesday
A total of 292 migrants, who were trying to reach England by crossing the Channel in boats, were rescued and brought back to the French coast on Tuesday.
Many attempts at crossings continued on Wednesday “because of a weather window crossing the favorable crossings”, according to the prefecture.
Seven times more crossing attempts than in 2019
Since the end of 2018, illegal crossings of the Channel by migrants have been seeking to reach the United Kingdom have multiplied despite repeated warnings from the authorities who highlight the danger linked to the density of traffic, strong currents and the low temperature of the water.
According to the maritime prefect Philippe Dutrieux, some 15,400 migrants attempted the crossing between January 1 and August 31, of which 3,500 were “recovered in difficulty” in the strait and brought back to the French coast. In 2020, crossings and attempted crossings concerned some 9,500 people, compared to 2,300 in 2019 and 600 in 2018.