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155 migrants rescued in several missions

On Oct 18, several departures of migrant boats were reported to the CROSS Gris-Nez, which deployed hired the PSP 'Flamant' to check the situation in the Calais sector. Once on site, the crew launched their boat and picked up three people on board who were requesting assistance. Several people still on board the boat refused the assistance offered by French resources. The 'Flamant' resumed its surveillance mission. The castaways were then transferred to the lifeboat 'SNS 077 – Notre-Dame du Risban' from the SNSM station in Calais and dropped off at the quayside in Calais, On the morning, another boat was reported to have left off Gravelines The CROSS Gris-nez initially engaged the port security boat 'ESMP 03' from the maritime and port security platoon (PSMP) of Dunkirk of the maritime gendarmerie to relocate the boat. Once on site, it noted that the boat was heavily loaded and ensured its surveillance while the boat continued on its way. The ESMP crew reported to the CROSS that the boat had an engine failure and that the 70 migrants on board were requesting assistance. The CROSS engaged the 'SNS 276 Notre-Dame des Flandres' and the 'SNS 087 Jean Bart II' as well as a second boat from the PSMP of Dunkirk. All the people on board the boat were recovered by the resources in the area and were then dropped off at the quayside in Dunkirk. At the end of the afternoon, a third boat was reported off the coast of Calais. The CROSS initially engaged the 'Minck' to relocate the boat. Once on site, the crew noticed that the boat was heavily loaded and ensured its surveillance while the boat continued on its way. Initially, the migrants on board refused assistance. During the surveillance, the people on board agreed to be rescued. The 'Minck' reported two people in the water, who were quickly recovered by the crew. At the same time, the CROSS engaged the nearby British Coastguard vessel 'BF Defender' for assistance and rescue. The 'Minck' recovered 36 people on board and the 'BF Defender' 46 people. All castaways were dropped off at the quayside in Calais , where the 155 rescued people were taken care of by the land rescue services and the border police.

65 migrants rescued off Calais, a baby died

On October 17 several rescue forces intervened off the coast of Wissant, in Pas-de-Calais to assist a boat in difficulty. Among the 65 people on board, a baby lost his life. An investigation was opened by the Boulogne-sur-Mer prosecutor's office. On the evening, the departure of a migrant boat off the coast of Wissant was reported to the CROSS Gris-Nez, which then engaged several vessels, among them the patrol boat 'Flamant', the 'Abeille Normandie', the 'Minck', the lifeboat 'SNS 077 Notre Dame de Risban' of the SNSM of Calais, as well as the Belgian helicopter NH90, based in Coxyde in order to relocate the boat and assess the situation on site. Once on site, it was noted that the boat, heavily loadedwas is in difficulty and that some of the people were in the water. The rescue ships then launched their semi-rigid boats and started to recover the people. The 'Abeille Normandie' rescued 65 people. At the same time, searches were being conducted to look for potential castaways at sea. During these searches, the 'Minck' located and rescues an unconscious infant who was transferred aboard the 'Abeille Normandie'. He will be declared dead by the Samu's regulating doctor, contacted by the teams on site. With the shipwreck area having been fully investigated, the maritime prefect of the Channel and the North Sea decidedto interrupt the searches led by the CROSS. The 65 castaways and the deceased infant were dropped off at the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer.

128 migrants rescued from three boats

On Oct 12, the CROSS Gris-Nez was informed of three boats in difficulty and deployed several state resources. Two boats with 62 and 10 people on board got assistane by the 'Minck' and the 'SNS 077' of the SNSM of Boulogne-sur-Mer off the coast of Calais. Some occupants of a third boat were recovered by the hydrographic vessel 'Laplace'. A total of 128 people were rescued and brought ashore. The CROSS Gris-Nez also coordinated surveillance operations, totaling 9 operations during the day, involving the following resources: - the hydrographic vessel 'Laplace'; - the metropolitan support and assistance vessel 'Garonne'; - the emergeny tug 'Abeille Normandie; - the 'Minck'; - the 'Ridens'; - the coastal maritime surveillance vessel VCSM 'Esteron'.