SNS 077

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51 migrants rescued in two missions

On Nov 10, numerous departures of migrant boats were reported to the CROSS Gris-Nez off the coast of Pas-de-Calais. Early in the morning, the CROSS first engaged the Dauphin helicopter of the French Navy base in Le Touquet and the 'SNS 077-Notre Dame du Risban' from the SNSM Calais station to relocate and assess the situation of a migrant boat the distress of whoch was uncertain. Once on site, all the people on board requested assistance from the lifeboat which rescued the 26 people, who were then disembarked at the quay in Calais. Later in the day, the CROSS engaged the 'Minck'. The crew of the vessel began monitoring the boat. During the monitoring, 25 people on board the boat requested assistance. It launched its intervention semi-rigid to assist the people on board the boat. The 'Minck' resumed its monitoring mission and indicated that the other people still on board refused the assistance offered by the French resources. The 25 people rescued by the 'Minck' were disembarked at the quayside in Calais, where they were taken care of by the land rescue services and the border police.

48 migrant rescued alive, three recovered dead

On the morning of Oct 23, a life jacket was spotted in the sea off Calais, and the 'Minck' was deployed to investigate and found a shipwrecked boat. The CROSS Gris-Nez deployed additional resources to search for the castaways: - The all-weather boat SNS 077 Notre Dame de Risban from the SNSM in Calais; - The Dauphin helicopter from the French Navy basein Le Touquet; - A medical team from the mobile emergency and resuscitation structure (SMUR – Maritime) in Boulogne-sur-Mer deployed to Calais. During the SAR operation, 40 shipwrecked people were rescued by the 'Minck' and eight people by the 'SNS 077', who were then transferred aboard the 'Minck'. The 'Minck' recovered 2 unconscious people on board. First aid was immediately given to them. Their deaths were later confirmed by the medical teams in Calais. The other castaways were taken care of by the land rescue services and the border police. At the same time, the other resources deployed continued the search for potential castaways at sea. An investigation was opened by the Boulogne-sur-Mer public prosecutor's office. During the SAR operations off the coast of Calais, a ferry spotted and recovered a man. The unconscious victim was evacuated by the Dauphinhelicopter and transferred to the hospital in Boulogne-sur-Mer. The medical teams were unable to resuscitate him and the victim was declared dead.

155 migrants rescued in several missions

On Oct 18, several departures of migrant boats were reported to the CROSS Gris-Nez, which deployed hired the PSP 'Flamant' to check the situation in the Calais sector. Once on site, the crew launched their boat and picked up three people on board who were requesting assistance. Several people still on board the boat refused the assistance offered by French resources. The 'Flamant' resumed its surveillance mission. The castaways were then transferred to the lifeboat 'SNS 077 – Notre-Dame du Risban' from the SNSM station in Calais and dropped off at the quayside in Calais, On the morning, another boat was reported to have left off Gravelines The CROSS Gris-nez initially engaged the port security boat 'ESMP 03' from the maritime and port security platoon (PSMP) of Dunkirk of the maritime gendarmerie to relocate the boat. Once on site, it noted that the boat was heavily loaded and ensured its surveillance while the boat continued on its way. The ESMP crew reported to the CROSS that the boat had an engine failure and that the 70 migrants on board were requesting assistance. The CROSS engaged the 'SNS 276 Notre-Dame des Flandres' and the 'SNS 087 Jean Bart II' as well as a second boat from the PSMP of Dunkirk. All the people on board the boat were recovered by the resources in the area and were then dropped off at the quayside in Dunkirk. At the end of the afternoon, a third boat was reported off the coast of Calais. The CROSS initially engaged the 'Minck' to relocate the boat. Once on site, the crew noticed that the boat was heavily loaded and ensured its surveillance while the boat continued on its way. Initially, the migrants on board refused assistance. During the surveillance, the people on board agreed to be rescued. The 'Minck' reported two people in the water, who were quickly recovered by the crew. At the same time, the CROSS engaged the nearby British Coastguard vessel 'BF Defender' for assistance and rescue. The 'Minck' recovered 36 people on board and the 'BF Defender' 46 people. All castaways were dropped off at the quayside in Calais , where the 155 rescued people were taken care of by the land rescue services and the border police.