Doha: French authorities announced Wednesday that they had rescued 111 migrants in the English Channel. The French Maritime Directorate for the English Channel and the North Sea said in a statement that it had rescued 111 migrants in the English Channel and also carried out several assistance and rescue operations off the coast of northern France.
According to Qatar News Agency, it added that some migrants sometimes refuse to be rescued by French forces, noting that due to the fragility of the often-overcrowded boats and the risks migrants face if their boats break down, a decision is made not to force them to evacuate and to allow them to continue their journey.
Attempts to cross the French-British maritime border have increased in recent days, due to weather conditions considered favorable by smugglers, despite the entry into force last week of a migration agreement between Paris and London aimed at curbing this phenomenon.
French rescue forces rescued 164 migrants at sea last Monday, according to a previous report issued by the Maritime Directorate of the English Channel and the North Sea.