25 oct. 2024
Several departures of migrant boats were reported to the regional operational surveillance and rescue center (CROSS) Gris-Nez on Friday October 25, 2025.
During the night, the CROSS Gris-Nez first engages the intervention, assistance and rescue tug (RIAS) Bee Normandy chartered by the French Navy to check the situation in the Audresselles sector area (62).
The boat is monitored by the RIAS until it breaks down and the people on board request assistance. L’Bee Normandy then launched his zodiac and took 68 people on board.
The latter are then deposited at the quay in Boulogne-sur-Mer (62) in the middle of the night by the RIAS which is once again engaged by the CROSS Gris-Nez for another boat departure reported in the same sector of Audresselles .
Given the reports received of several people at sea, CROSS Gris-Nez also commits:
– the P-68 “Action Air Environnement” police plane,
– the coastal maritime surveillance launch (VCSM) of the Maritime Gendarmerie But Ildut
– the helicopter Dauphin.
After bleaching the area by all these means, a person overboard is picked up by the Abeille Normandie semi-rigid boat and then transhipped onto the Aber Ildut.
The rest of the people refuse the assistance offered by French means and continue on their way. Given the risks of falling overboard or injury incurred by people in the event of forced intervention, the choice is made to let the other people present on this boat continue their journey.
The person picked up by theBut Ildut is then deposited at the dock in Boulogne-sur-Mer.
The JOHN relocates the Hardelot sector boat (62) and launches its operational Drôme boat (EDO). She picked up a person on board who was in the water as well as another migrant requesting assistance on the boat.
At the same time, the CROSS also engages the helicopter Dauphin public service of the National Navy based in Le Touquet (62) to ensure that no person is still in difficulty in the water. Once these doubts are resolved, the JOHN collects the two migrants on board with a view to dropping them off in Boulogne-sur-Mer.
The RIAS then reports to the VCSM But Ildut off the coast of Portel where another boat is reported.
Given the number of migrants waiting on the beaches or in the water to board the boat, the CROSS also engages the helicopter Dauphin to search for possible people at sea. Eight people who had not managed to reach the boat from the shore were recovered by the EDO of theBee Normandy. Transferred aboard the RIAS, the eight people were then dropped off in Boulogne-sur-Mer in the afternoon. They are joined at the dock by the two people previously picked up by the JOHN and transhipped at the dock on theBee Liberty.
The maritime prefect of the Channel and the North Sea warns anyone who plans to cross the Channel about the risks involved. This maritime sector is one of the busiest areas in the world, with more than 600 commercial ships passing through it per day and the weather conditions are often difficult (120 days of wind greater than or equal to force 7 on annual average for example) , it is therefore a particularly dangerous sector, even when the sea seems beautiful.
If you are a victim or witness to a sea incident, contact emergency services by telephone by dialing number 196 or on channel 16 of your VHF.