The French authorities announced the rescue of about forty immigrants in the English Channel while they were trying to reach England with two small boats, including three children who were pulled out in a state of severe hypothermia.

The French Channel and North Maritime Administration said in a statement that the French authorities rescued, in two successive operations on Wednesday, 28 people and 13 people, respectively, and brought them to the beach.

She explained that a patrol boat of the French Navy detected, on Wednesday morning, the presence of drowned people in the waters off Boulogne-sur-Mer (the north), and sent a speedboat, which recovered 28 people who were all in the water.

She added that among these were three children and an adult who were suffering from hypothermia and were treated by the emergency department.
Shortly thereafter, a navy ship rescued another boat that was in difficulty and picked up 13 people.

About 46,000 people crossed the English Channel in 2022 in small boats.

Five people have died and four others are missing on these dangerous crossings, according to the administration's own figures.