Lifeboat crews from Kent faced a harrowing night-time mission in the frigid waters of the English Channel after a migrant boat capsized, triggering a major rescue operation.
RNLI teams from Dover and Dungeness were scrambled following a mayday alert, racing to the scene approximately five miles from the UK shore. They arrived to find a vessel submerged and dozens of people fighting for survival in the perilously cold sea.
The coordinated effort, which included HM Coastguard and a French navy helicopter, successfully pulled 50 individuals from the water. Tragically, one person remains unaccounted for, with search efforts ongoing.
A spokesperson for the Dover lifeboat station confirmed the severity of the incident, stating the boat had "got into trouble and capsized." The rescued, believed to be migrants attempting to reach the UK, were brought to safety in Dover where they received medical assessments. Several were treated for hypothermia, a common and dangerous risk in such crossings.
This incident starkly highlights the extreme dangers of crossing the world's busiest shipping lane in small, overloaded boats. Despite repeated warnings from the UK government and aid organisations about the risks, attempts to cross have continued.
The rescue underscores the critical, life-saving role of the RNLI, whose volunteer crews are repeatedly called upon to respond to such emergencies in all weather conditions.
