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On the early morning of Sunday, August 11, 2024, a migrant boat encountered severe difficulties off the coast of Calais, leading to a large-scale rescue operation coordinated by the Regional Operational Surveillance and Rescue Center (CROSS) Gris-Nez. The incident, which occurred in foggy conditions, tragically resulted in the deaths of two individuals, while 53 others were successfully rescued.
The distress call was received by CROSS Gris-Nez, reporting that people were in the water. The French Navy’s Dauphin helicopter, based in Le Touquet, was immediately deployed to the area. Despite reduced visibility due to heavy fog, the Dauphin crew successfully located the boat and began rescue operations. Unfortunately, one person was found unresponsive and was later pronounced dead at the hospital in Boulogne-sur-Mer.
In response to the scale of the emergency, CROSS Gris-Nez rapidly engaged additional resources, including the Minck rescue ship, the SNSM all-weather dinghy Notre-Dame-de-Risban, the French Navy’s Cormoran patrol boat, and a medical team from Boulogne-sur-Mer’s Mobile Emergency and Resuscitation Structure (SMUR). The British Coastguard’s Border Force Volunteer, dispatched by the MRCC in Dover, was also involved in the rescue effort.
During the operation, the SNSM dinghy rescued four individuals, one of whom was unconscious and could not be resuscitated despite the efforts of emergency services. The Minck rescue ship, which had just completed another rescue mission, was re-engaged and recovered 36 survivors, several of whom suffered from petrol burns. The SMUR team was airlifted by the Dauphin helicopter to provide urgent medical care to the injured.
The Border Force Volunteer, operating in the vicinity, rescued 14 additional people, who were later transferred to the Cormoran patrol boat. All rescued individuals were transported to Calais, where they received medical attention from local emergency services.
The final toll from the incident includes 53 survivors and two fatalities. Search and rescue operations continued throughout the day, covering a wide area around the site of the shipwreck. By midday, directed search efforts were concluded by the maritime prefect, though vessels in the area were advised to remain vigilant.
This tragic incident is one of several ongoing operations in the region as authorities work to manage the ongoing migrant crisis in the English Channel. Further assessments of the situation are expected later in the day.
