MCS TAKU CPP

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Several migrants resccued in large scale operation, six dead

In the night of Aug 11, several migrant boats set sail to try to reach the British coast. The CROSS Gris Nez deployed rescue vessels and one helicopter. The ships were distributed in different maritime sectors to ensure appropriate navigation surveillance. At around 4:20 a.m., a commercial vessel signaled to the CROSS Gris Nez a stationary boat off Calais, more than 20 kilometers from Sangatte. The PSP 'Cormoran', then operating about 15 kilometers away, was relayed by British means and joined the area. The CROSS also asked vessels en route in the sector to report any useful information. Between 4:30 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., five merchant ships indicated to the CROSS weak light signals which could correspond. In the area, the PSP 'Cormoran' located a boat using its optronic means. Several castaways were already in the water. The patrol boat approached as quickly as possible to begin rescue operations using a 25-person life raft and its “Hurricane” RIB. At the same time, the CROSS broadcast a "mayday relay" message and asked the MRCC Dover to request assistance. In the following 10 minutes, the CROSS diverted the PSP 'Pluvier', also already in operation in the sector, engaged a first commercial vessel located nearby, then the lifeboat 'SNS 077-Notre Dame du Risban' from Calais. Around 5:50 a.m., the MRCC Dover tasked the British ships “MCS Taku” (9749776) and 'RNLI 1709' to assist too. The CROSS also engages a Dauphin helicopter based in Le Touquet, and a second commercial vessel. From 06:00 a.m. the Cormoran picked up 32 shipwrecked people, one of whom is quickly evacuated by helicopter to Calais hospital and was declared dead there. The two British resources picked up many shipwrecked people that it would only be possible to clearly count them once they were docked in Dover (between 22 and 23 after checks); The PSP 'Pluvier' participate took on board shipwrecked people and transferred them to the PSP 'Cormoran'; The 'SNS 077 from Calais recovered five inanimate people who were later declared dead. Around 08:00 a.m., the CROSS engaged the 'Abeille Normandie' to be able to take over from the PSP 'Cormoran'. The latter entered the port of Calais at the end of the morning to take charge of the castaways at the quay. Around 11:00 a.m., the prefecture deployed the Falcon 50 from Lann-Bihoué to provide permanent air cover for another four hours. On the whole, 65 to 66 people were probably on board. French resources saved 36 people, all of whom were dropped off at the port of Calais and taken care of by the SDIS62 teams; British resources saved 22 to 23 people, all of whom were dropped off at the port of Dover. Nearly 59 people were rescued at sea. Six people were recovered dead, five were deposited at the port of Calais and one at the Calais hospital. The search was continued, as the testimonies suggested that there were still one to two people still missing.