In a series of high-risk rescue operations, over 190 people were rescued from the English Channel as multiple migrant boats faced difficulties in the strait of Pas-de-Calais. The operations were conducted by the regional operational surveillance and rescue center (CROSS) Gris-Nez during the night of December 1 to December 2, 2023, and throughout the day of December 2.
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The CROSS Gris-Nez coordinated several critical rescue efforts. The assistance and rescue intervention tug (RIAS) Abeille Normandie was involved in two separate operations, rescuing a total of 93 people from two migrant boats. In some cases, migrants refused the assistance offered, opting to continue their journey despite the risks. Rescuers had to make the difficult decision to let them proceed, considering the dangers of forcing them aboard state rescue vessels.
