One person has died and 69 others were rescued after a migrant boat took on water near the French coast, while 240 migrants crossed the Channel on small boats.
The incident occurred near the Calais channel during the early hours of this morning, that saw multiple migrant boat departures reported in the area.
Only half of those aboard were wearing life jackets when rescue teams reached the vessel, according to the Prefecture of Pas-de-Calais.
The major rescue operation involved French naval assets and Belgian support teams working through the night to save the vessel's occupants.
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GB NEWS
The Regional Operational Surveillance and Rescue Center (CROSS) Gris-nez deployed its navy-chartered vessel, Abeille Normandie, after being alerted to the boat's departure off Calais.
When the migrant vessel began taking on water, Abeille Normandie immediately launched its two rescue boats, later joined by the state-chartered ship Minck.
The rescue teams successfully retrieved all 70 occupants from the troubled vessel, with Abeille Normandie recovering 48 people and Minck bringing 22 others to safety.
CROSS Gris-nez also mobilised additional rescue resources in response to numerous other crossing attempts reported in the sector.
A French Navy Dauphin helicopter from Le Touquet was dispatched to oversee the rescue operation and transported a maritime medical team from Boulogne-sur-Mer to the Abeille Normandie.
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Only half of those aboard the capsized boat were wearing life jackets
GB NEWS
Two unconscious victims required urgent medical attention, prompting additional support from a Belgian NH-90 rescue helicopter and its crew.
Rescuers successfully revived one of the unconscious casualties on scene.
The second victim was airlifted to hospital in Marck-en-Calaisis, where they were later pronounced dead.
The remaining survivors were brought to Calais, where they received care from emergency services coordinating with the Prefecture of Pas-de-Calais.
The maritime prefect of the English Channel and North Sea warned of the extreme dangers in this heavily trafficked waterway.
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More than 600 merchant ships transit through the strait daily, creating hazardous conditions for small vessels.
Weather conditions in the area are particularly challenging, with an average of 120 days per year experiencing winds of force 7 or stronger.
"This is therefore a particularly dangerous sector, especially in the middle of the winter period for precarious and overloaded boats," the maritime prefect stated.
The prefect emphasised the critical importance of wearing life jackets for all maritime activities in the region.
