The French coastguard has rescued more than 100 migrants attempting to cross the English Channel in a single boat that broke down. The vessel, described as a 'taxi boat', was spotted travelling east along the coast towards Wimereux to pick up people in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The boat later broke down during its crossing attempt, and the 106 migrants on board were transferred to a rescue ship and taken to Calais. Several people got into difficulty while trying to board the boat, including a woman who lost consciousness and had to be evacuated by helicopter, according to the French coastguard.
A French Coast Guard spokesperson said: 'This maritime area is one of the busiest in the world, and weather conditions are often harsh... It is therefore a particularly dangerous area, even when the sea looks calm.' According to regional maritime officials, a total of 119 people were taken to safety during three separate rescue operations along France’s northern coastline on Saturday.
The latest rescue comes after Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood signed a three-year agreement with France on Thursday to pay £662 million to support beach patrols. The Home Office said the arrangement would see officers 'targeting and detaining' migrants on the French coast, with the aim of removing hundreds of small boat migrants from beaches every year.
So far this year, more than 6,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after making the journey, down 36 per cent on the number this time last year. More than 70,000 have arrived since Sir Keir Starmer became Prime Minister.
