French authorities rescue 72 stranded migrants in shipwrecking accidents

By Shweta Desai

PARIS (AA) - French authorities said Saturday that they rescued more than 70 migrants, in an overnight operation, who were stranded in shipwrecked incidents in the English Channel.

The migrants were trying to illegally reach the UK, the maritime prefecture of the English Channel and the North Sea said in a statement.

The Regional Operational Center for Surveillance and Rescue (CROSS) conducted a search and rescue operation of several shipwrecked boats in the Strait of Pas-de-Calais conducted Friday night into Saturday to rescue 72 people.

The navy was engaged off the Boulogne-sur-Mer and Leffrinckoucke areas to rescue those who were dropped off at the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, it said.

Authorities warned against illegally crossing the English Channel which is dangerous because it is one of the busiest maritime sectors with difficult weather conditions.

The English Channel off the French coast was the site of one of the worst disasters in December after 27 migrants, including women and children, died in a shipwrecking accident.

France and Britain are trying to prevent illegal crossings by small boats and those efforts have led to a crackdown against smugglers organizing the dangerous crossings.