FS PLUVIER

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Latest news

Assistance to several migrant boats

On July 9, 2024, several migrant boats in difficulty were reported to the CROSS Gris Nez. In the middle of the night, a ferry indicated that a migrant boat is en route in the channel of the port of Calais (62) with many people on board. The CROSS Gris-Nez deployed the “Pluvier” to check the situation in the area. Once there, the patrol boat noticed that the boat was stationary and the passengers requested assistance. The crew then picked up the 63 people on board and dropped them off at the dock at the port of Calais. At the same time, a boat departure was reported in the Le Touquet sector by the internal security forces. The CROSS Gris-nez deployed the rescue vessel “Minck” to locate the boat. Once in the area, the crew noticed that three people were in the water, but that the migrant boat continued on its way. The crew rescued the shipwrecked people, and the CROSS simultaneously mobilized the 'Abeille Normandie' for support. Once the three castaways were safe on board the 'Minck', the rescue ship resumed its surveillance mission and indicated that the 41 other people still on board the boat also requested assistance. The 44 people were taken care of at the end of the night on board Minck before being dropped off at the port of Boulogne-sur-mer. Early on the morning, a third migrant boat was reported off the Wadde lighthouse, Calais Est sector. The CROSS engaged the 'Pluvier', which has just dropped off the previous castaways to check the situation in the area. Once there, the crew noticed that the boat was very loaded and moving slowly. At first, the migrants refused assistance. Then, mid-morning, some of the people on board agreed to be rescued by the 'Pluvier', which rescued 19 people before dropping them off in Calais at the start of the afternoon. Given the risk of falling overboard or injury to people in the event of forced intervention, the choice is made to let the other people present on this boat continue their journey.

70 migrants recovered from three boats

On Oct 16, the CROSS Gris-Nez was notified after several migrant boats got in difficulty in the Pas-de-Calais Strait. In the night of Oct 15 a migrant boat was damaged off the coast of Wimereux. The CROSS deployed the emergenvy tug 'Apollo Moon' to the scene, which took 34 people on board before the boat resumed its journey with the rest of the people on board, who did not request assistance. The 'Apollo Moon' drops off the 34 people at the port of Calais. Later in the morning, another boat was in difficulty off the town of Ambleteuse. The patrol boat 'DFP1-Jacques Oudart Fourmentin' was deployed to assist by the CROSS and picked up 10 people from the boat. The other people on board did not request assistance. The migrants aboard the 'Jacques Oudart Fourmentin' were dropped off at the port of Boulogne-sur-mer. At the same time, another boat was reported in difficulty off the coast of Merlimont. The CROSS Gris-Nez sent the PSP 'Pluvier' to assist, which recovered 26 people, before the boat got back on its way with the rest of the migrants, who were not requesting assistance. The 'Pluvier' dropped off the migrants at the dock at the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer.

103 migrants rescued from two boats

In the early morning of Oct 10, 2023, the CROSS Gris-Nez was informed that a boat was in difficulty near the port of Calais. The semi-rigid 'Triton' of the National Police was in the area and notices that the boat, which had an engine failure, was taking on water and was overloaded. The 'Apollo Moon' and the 'Eulimène' of the nautical brigade of the National Gendarmerie were deployed to assist too and rescued the 60 shipwrecked people. Some of the castaways, recovered by the 'Eulimène' and the 'Triton', were transferred aboard the 'Apollo Moon', which had a larger accommodation capacity. The 'Apollo Moon' took on board 41 people, the 'Triton' four people, and the 'Eulimène' 15 people. Once at the dock in Calais, the castaways were taken care of by the departmental fire and rescue service and the border police. In parallel, a second, overloaded migrant boat was reported in difficulty, and the CROSS Gris-Nez deployed the PSP 'Pluvier' to assist. After the boat was located, the 'Pluvier' rescued all 43 shipwrecked people, who were dropped off at the port of Calais too and taken care of by civil security and the border police.