French Authorities rescue over 360 migrants trying to cross English channel

French Authorities announced the rescue of more than 360 migrants while attempting to cross between the north coast of France and the south coast of England, in small boats.

The Department of Maritime Operations in the English Channel and the North Sea said in a statement that the monitoring and rescue operations centre sent a group of boats, after it spotted several boats facing difficulty in the Pas de Calais Strait, in order to help them, adding that the migrants were transferred to several French ports, where there were ambulance teams and border police are waiting for them.

Increasing numbers of migrants seeking to reach England are trying to cross the Channel in dilapidated boats after the authorities imposed more security measures in the port of Calais and the Channel Tunnel.

Since the beginning of the year, a record 33,500 people have crossed the perilous Channel, yet this sea is one of the busiest sea routes in the world.