In recent days, the English Channel has been far from calm. Strong wind and rain off the Pas-de-Calais. However, attempts to cross by migrants have never been so numerous: at least 853 migrants crossed the Channel illegally to the English coast on Wednesday. The day before, 779 people were rescued at sea. 400 were brought back to Boulogne-sur-Mer. A sign that the phenomenon of “small boats” extends widely beyond Calais, over the 140 km of coastline.

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The human toll of this hectic week at sea is very heavy: one dead in Dunkirk, one dead in Wissant, four people missing. This Thursday, was added another death, along a Calais railway. A TER crashed into a group of migrants overnight. “It’s a very tense situation right now, testifies Frédéric Baland, delegate of the Alliance police nationale du Calaisis. Emotionally, it is very complicated for colleagues from Boulogne, they are less used to dealing with migratory phenomena.