The French authorities rescued on Thursday 157 people attempting to sail the Channel and North Sea with small boats, to pass from France to England, as it became known today.
Thursday morning port authorities were notified that many people had gathered on a beach near Visan, on the north coast of France.
Three people were picked up by rescue services after landing alone in Calais, about 20 kilometres from the beach, Premar, the Channel and North Sea port authority, said.
According to the same source, in another attempt, this time from Portel Beach, a little further south, a great power of security services had to be developed. Eight people facing problems were picked up by the fire department while still on the shore.
Soon after, 70 people were rescued on board the same boat as the first and transferred back to Calais.
Another boat was spotted in the Eko sector, near Bulonie-sir-mer and with the intervention of port authorities its 67 passengers were rescued while two smaller boats received a total of 9 aspiring immigrants.
After several months of difficult negotiations, France and Britain reached a new three-year agreement to halt irregular crossings in the Channel. This agreement provides for an increased financial contribution from London.
In 2025 at least 29 immigrants died at sea, according to a French Agency count based on official French and British data. Since the beginning of the year at least eight deaths have been recorded.