SNS276

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99 migrants rescued from various boats

On the night of June 12 and on June 13, numerous migrant boat departures were reported to the CROSS Gris-Nez. On the evening the CROSS was informed by the police that a migrant boat off Slack Beach was showing signs of difficulty. In coordination with land-based services, the CROSS deployed several resources, including the French Navy's Dauphin helicopter based in Le Touquet and resources from the SDIS 62 to locate and rescue the boat people. In coordination with the MRCC in Dover, a British aircraft was also diverted to participate in the search. However, once in the area, the resources did not report the presence of any boat in the water and therefore were stood down. Secondly, a floating but unpowered boat was spotted by land services off Pointe aux Oies. The CROSS engaged the 'Abeille Normandie', which confirmed the boat was adrift with three people on board. The emergeny tug rescued the migrants, who were taken to Boulogne-sur-Mer and taken into care by land-based rescue services. Later that night, a second boat requested assistance off Audresselles. The CROSS engaged the French Navy's hydrographic survey vessel 'Laplace', which joined the boat. Four of its occupants requested assistance, They were picked up and taken in Calais. The remaining migrants on the migrant boat refused any assistance and continued on their way. During the same night, another boat was reported in difficulty off the coast of Gravelines. The location of the boat, overloaded with 50 people, was located by the Schiebel S100 drone of the CROSS Gris-Nez. The latter also engaged the lifeboaat 'SNS 276 - Notre Dame des Flandres' from the Gravelines SNSM station, which rescued two people on board, while the boat continued on its way. On the morning of June 13, another boat was spotted on the beach at Quend. The CROSS engaged the surveillance vessel 'Yser' from the French Maritime Gendarmerie to locate the boat. Two people, who were found in difficulty, were rescued by the 'Yser' and brought ashore, where they were treated by the local land rescue services. The same morning, another boat was spotted off the coast of Dunkirk. The CROSS engaged the RHIB 'ESMP04' of the Maritime and Port Security Platoon of the French Maritime Gendarmerie,and then the patrol boat 'Flamant'. The troubled boat quickly took on water, and the patrol boat began assisting the occupants, joined by the rescue vessel 'Ridens' and the 'Abeille Normandie'. The 'Flamant' rescued 63 people and headed for the port of Calais. The other occupants initially did not require further assistance, as the boat continued to deflate. They were finally picked up by the 'Ridens' and the 'Abeille Normandie', which took them to the ports of Calais and Boulogne-sur-Mer), respectively. In total, 79 occupants of the boat were rescued and taken into care by land-based rescue services. Finally, on the early evening of June 13, a migrant boat was reported off the coast of Equihen-Plage. As weather conditions deteriorated, the CROSS deployed a Frontex aircraft to locate the boat, followed by the 'Flamant' and the patro l boat 'Pluvier'. After a request for assistance from the nine occupants of the boat, they were picked up by the PSP Flamant and brought to the dock in Boulogne-sur-Mer.

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.

74 migrants rescued from two boats

On March 27, two rescue operations were coordinated by the CROSS Gris-Nez. On the morning the CROSS was informed of a migrant boat leaving the beach at Petit-Fort-Philippe. The CROSS engaged the 'SNS 276-Notre Dame des Flandres' and a patrol boat from Dunkirk, to locate and monitor the boat. Once in contact with the boat, its occupants made a request for assistance. The lifeboat then recovered the 12 people aboard the boat and dropped them off at the quay in Gravelines. The same morning, the CROSS received a call from an occupant of a boat off Wimereux and engaged the 'Abeille Normandie', which was then relieved by the BEGM 'Thétis' of the French Navy. Following their request for assistance, the 'Thétis' recovered all 62 migrants and dropped them off at the dock in Calais. A total of 74 people were rescued during the responses.