MCS BLUE NORTHER

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71 migrants rescued, one recovered dead

Late on July 17, 2024 the patrol boat 'Cormoran' was deployed by the CROSS Gris-Nez to a migrant boat off the coast of Gravelines. The crew indicated that the tubes of the boat were coming to deflate and that people were in the water. The CROSS immediately sent the lifeboat 'SNS 077-Notre Dame de Risban' from the SNSM station Calais; - a customs helicopter based in Le Havre, a plane from the Frontex company - and a Dauphin helicopter of the French Navy based in Le Touquet with a medical team from the maritime mobile emergency and resuscitation structure (SMUR) of the Boulogne-sur-Mer hospital on board. The MRCC Dover also provided resources to quickly reinforce the resources involved in the SAr operation for the shipwrecked, including the British Coast Guard vessel 'Border Force Ranger', which was sailing in the area; the 'MCS Blue Norther' of the British Coast Guard and the lifeboat 'RNLI 17-09' from Dover. All air assets deployed in the area also contributed to relocating the shipwrecked, some of whom were adrift, while remaining quite close to the sinking site. The 'Cormoran' took on board 59 castaways, including one unconscious person. The SMUR maritime medical team from Boulogne-sur-Mer was winched aboard the 'Cormoran' by the Dauphin helicopter to care for the shipwrecked victims. The unconscious person could not be resuscitated. At the same time, the 'BF Ranger' took 13 victims on board. All those rescued were dropped off at the quay in Calais at the start of the night and taken care of by the emergency services on land. Finally, 71 people were rescued. Air and water resources continued the search over a large area around the sinking site until nightfall, and no other shipwreck victims were detected.