A major cross-border rescue operation unfolded in the early hours of Monday morning after a migrant boat carrying over 60 people broke up in the English Channel, resulting in one confirmed death.
The incident began shortly after midnight when the French regional surveillance and rescue centre CROSS Gris-Nez detected the departure of an overloaded migrant vessel from the French coast. The rescue and assistance tug Abeille Normandie was deployed to monitor the boat amid worsening sea conditions.
Tragically, the vessel began to break apart during surveillance, prompting CROSS to issue a Mayday Relay alert. The crew of the Abeille Normandie launched three high-speed rescue boats to reach the stricken migrants, while reinforcements from both French and British authorities raced to the scene.
British resources quickly joined the rescue effort, including the RNLI lifeboat 13-07 from Dungeness, the Border Force vessel Ranger, and a UK surveillance aircraft operating nearby. Simultaneously, a French Navy Dauphin helicopter carrying a specialist medical team from Boulogne-sur-Mer was dispatched to aid in the operation.
In total, 62 people were pulled from the water. The Abeille Normandie rescued 50 individuals, RNLI crews rescued two, and Border Force officers saved nine more. All survivors were transferred to the Abeille Normandie for medical assessment and care.
During aerial search operations, the Dauphin helicopter spotted an unconscious person floating in the water. They were recovered by RNLI teams and taken aboard the Abeille Normandie, where they were pronounced dead by medics.
Among the rescued were a mother and child suffering from severe hypothermia. They were winched aboard the helicopter and airlifted to Boulogne-sur-Mer Hospital for emergency treatment. The remaining survivors were brought ashore at the Boulogne quay and handed over to French emergency services.
The Maritime Prefect of the Channel and North Sea issued a stern warning in the wake of the tragedy, urging migrants not to attempt the perilous journey across one of the world’s busiest and most dangerous maritime routes. With over 12,000 crossings already recorded this year, 2025 is on course to become a record year for Channel migration.
A UK Government spokesperson commented:
“We can confirm there has been a tragic incident in the Channel involving a small boat in French waters which has resulted in the loss of one life. We continue to work closely with our French partners to address these dangerous crossings.”
