INVICTA KENT MEDIA/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK
Twenty-three migrants have been rescued from boats in three separate incidents in the English Channel.
Lifeboats and a coastguard helicopter were involved in the interception of a boat carrying 13 people two miles from Walmer at about 04:30 GMT.
A lifeboat later spotted a rowing boat occupied by two people about eight miles from Dover.
The French authorities also rescued six adults and two children from a third boat in UK waters.
The motor on their inflatable had broken down and it had been drifting, French maritime officials said.
They tweeted two images of the rescue, which appeared to show at least some of the eight people were wearing life jackets.
[#operation #migrant]bit.ly/2Td1zL7 Huit migrants secourus ce matin dans le détroit du pas de #Calais sous la coordination du CROSS Gris-Nez.
See PREMAR Manche's other Tweets
End of Twitter post by @premarmanche
The 13 people on board the boat off Walmer were not thought to be wearing life jackets.
The Home Office has not yet commented on the incidents.
HM Coastguard said in a statement: "[We are] committed to safeguarding life around the seas and coastal areas of this country.
"We are only concerned with preservation of life, rescuing those in trouble and bringing them safely back to shore, where they will be handed over to the relevant partner emergency services or authorities."
As recently as Saturday, a boat containing 16 migrants, including two children, was intercepted by the French authorities as it travelled towards the UK.
It follows numerous attempts throughout November and December in which people on boats, many of them claiming to be Iranian, were stopped crossing the Channel.
0 comments:
Post a Comment