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136 migrants rescued in numerous missions

From the night of June 20, 2025, to June 21, numerous migrant boat departures were reported to the CROSS Gris-Nez. First, the departure of a boat was reported to the CROSS in the Cayeux-sur-Mer area. The "SNS 708 - Quartier Maître Gilbert Vandenberghe" from the Cayeux-sur-Mer SNSM station was deployed aling with the semi-rigid boat "SNS 7-034 Notre Dame des Sables" from the Berck-sur-Mer SNSM station. The 'Abeille Normandie' took over from the 'SNS 7-034' and monitored the boat. Once on site, the tug launched its RHIB to assist the boat during a migrant boarding phase along the beach. The RHIB rescued one person from the water and delivered him at the beach at Cayeux-sur-Mer. Later on June 20, the CROSS Gris-Nez engaged the 'Minck' to assist another migrant boat that had left from the beach at Hardelot. Once on site, the 'Minck' started monitoring the boat, which was heavily laden and in poor condition. In response to a request for assistance from people on board the boat, the 'Minck' recovered 20 people and continued to monitor the boat, which continued its voyage towards British waters, with the remaining occupants having refused assistance. Once the migrants on board the boat had been taken into care by British assets, the 'Minck' headed for Boulogne-sur-Mer to drop off the 20 people. On the morning of June 21, more migrant boat departures were reported to the cROSS Gris-Nez, starting with a boat from the port of Dunkirk West. The CROSS successively engaged the "SNS 276 - Notre Dame des Flandres" from the Gravelines SNSM station and the 'Oyapock' of the Maritime Gendarmerie and later the 'Ridens' as a relief to monitor the boat. Once on site, the 'Ridens' reported a request for assistance from some of the boat's occupants following an engine damage. During an initial recovery phase, the boat began to break up, and some of its migrants fell into the water. The CROSS Gris-Nez then again engaged the SNS 276,' the 'Oyapock' and an RHIB of the patrol boat 'Flamant' to assist the 'Minck' in recovering the castaways. 38 people were recovered and transferred aboard the 'Minck'. The remaining occupants of the boat were taken into care by British resources. The 'Minck' then headed to the port of Calais, where the rescued people could be taken into care by the land authorities. At the same time, the departure of a boat was reported to the CROSS from the Bay of Wissant. The CROSS deployed the 'Abeille Normandi' to locate it and monitor the boat. Once on site, the tug reported the poor condition of the boat, which was beginning to break up, and launched its two rubber boats, which recovered all 77 people from the boat. The castaways were dropped off at the port of Boulogne-sur-Me, where they were taken into care by the land authorities. In total, during these operations, 136 people were rescued and taken into care by state resources.

338 migrants rescued alive, one died

On May 11, several migrant boat departures were reported to the CROSS Gris-Nez Regional in the Strait of Dover (62). The CROSS deployed several rescue resources to monitor all the boats. Shortly after the departures, several boats encountered difficulties and requested assistance. Initially, in the morning, a boat was reported in the Malo-Les-Bains area. The CROSS initially deployed the BSAM 'Rhône' for surveillance. Some of the migrants on the overloaded boat requested assistance, and some jumped overboard. The CROSS then engaged the 'VB Puissant' and the Dunkirk Maritime and Port Security boat 'ESMP 04' for the rescue. The 'VB Puissant' rescued 22 people, including several injured, and the 'Rhône', with the assistance of the maritime gendarmerie boat, assisted 23 migrants. The remaining people on the migrant boat refused assistance and continued on their way. Once dropped off at the dock in Dunkirk, the 45 migrants were taken into care by the land authorities. At the same time, a second boat was reported in the Dunkirk area. The CROSS engaged the 'Minck' for surveillance. Once on site, 23 people requested assistance. The remaining occupants of the migrant boat refused all assistance and continued on their way. Once dropped off at the dock in Calais, the 23 people were taken into care by rescue services on land. During the night of May 11, a boat departing from Hardelot was monitored by the patrol vessel 'Thémis'. During the surveillance, the boat broke up following the loss of the transom where the engine was attached. The CROSS also deployed the ''Abeille Normandie' and a Dauphin helicopter, along with a medical team from the Boulogne-sur-Mer maritime emergency medical service. 13 people were rescued by the 'Thémis', including one person declared dead by the SMUR doctor. The 'Abeille Normandie' recovered the remaining people from the boat. A total of 68 people (including several injured) were taken to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer. During the night, all occupants from another boat requested assistance and were picked up by the 'Ridens'. The 56 rescued people were taken to Boulogne. A total of 192 people were rescued and cared for by government resources. Among them, one person died. On May 1, 2025, the CROSS Gris-Nez coordinated assistance after a boat carrying 45 people was reported by the 'ESMP 04' departing from the port of Dunkirk. The 'Abeille Normandie' was engaged by the CROSS, then relieved by the 'Jacques Oudart Fourmentin' Three of the boat's occupants were rescued and brought ashore in Boulogne-sur-Mer by the patrol boat. At the same time, a second boat carrying 76 people was reported departing from Dunkirk at around 6:00 a.m. The 'Minck' notified the CROSS of the need to monitor the overloaded boat. The lifeboat 'SNS276-Notre-Dame des Flandres' was then engaged by the CROSS and was relieved by the 'Armoise' of the Maritime Gendarmerie. which rescued all occupants of the boat following an engine failure. The patrol boat reported one person requiring medical assistance among those rescued. A conference call was then established with the Maritime Medical Coordination Emergency Medical Service in Le Havre. Once docked in Calais, the 76 people were taken care of by land authorities and the injured person by firefighters. Finally, a boat carrying 68 people was reported at 6 a.m. off the coast of Gravelines by the 'Notre Dame de Flandres' of the Gravelines SNSM station at around 10:30 a.m- The 'Abeille Normandie', which was monitoring the boat, informed the CROSS Gris-Nez that the boat was taking on water and was sinking, immediately went to the aid of the victims and recovered all of them, thanks in particular to the rapid launching of its EDO boat- There were two injured people on board. Once docked in Boulogne-sur-Mer, all boat people were taken care of by the land authorities and the two injured by rescue teams. A total of 147 people were rescued during the day.

24 migrants rescued, one died

On the morning of April 18, 2025, several migrant boat departures were reported to the CROSS Gris-Nez off the coasts of Pas-de-Calais and Nord. First, a boat was reported departing from Cap Blanc-Nez. The CROSS deployed an aircraft to monitor the boat's departure and the Gendarmerie's RHIB 'Ouranos', which was then relieved by the 'Cormoran' to continue monitoring the boat. The crew launched their operational droma boat (EDO) to make contact with the boat. The occupants refused the offered assistance. The 'Cormoran' continued its surveillance of the boat until arriving in the British SAR region, where it was taken over by the British emergency services. During the recovery by British assets assisted by the 'Cormoran', one person was reported unconscious. A medevac was coordinated by the British rescue center. The victim was declared dead as they approached Dover. At the same time, the CROSS engaged the 'Oyapock' of the Maritime Gendarmerie, to relocate a migrant boat adrift from Gravelines. Once there, the vessel made contact with the boat's occupants, who refused the assistance offered. Shortly after, the occupants requested assistance from the vessel, which then picked up all nine occupants before dropping them off at the port of Dunkirk. Late in the morning, a migrant boat set sail from Equihen beach. The 'Pluvier' was hired by CROSS to locate and monitor the boat. The boat was heavily laden. While conducting surveillance near the boat, the 'Pluvier' reported the deflation of the boat's inflatable tubes and people who had fallen into the water. The victims in the water were immediately recovered by the 'Pluvier's EDO. The 'Minck' was deployed to support the 'Pluvier'. A total of 15 people were rescued. The other occupants of the boat refused all assistance and resumed their journey, under the supervision of the 'Minck', towards British waters after having managed to reinflate the boat's inflatable tube. In total, 24 people were rescued by French resources.