This is one of the largest such rescue operations since 2018, when this data collection began.
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“A small boat caught fire on the border of French and UK waters, forcing the people on board to jump overboard,” said the Pas-de-Calais regional prefecture on Tuesday morning, adding that no casualties have been reported.
On Monday, they set sail from the Normandy coast village of Velle Rose, according to French maritime officials.
In recent weeks, witnesses have reported seeing boats crossing the shipping route that are larger than usual, which they say were 12 meters long, rather than the usual 8 or 10 meters.
Maritime officials told AFP news agency that the average number of people crammed into these small boats has increased – from 26 people in 2021 to 65 since the beginning of this year.
France has long been a springboard for migrants hoping to reach the UK via the English Channel.
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Paying smugglers thousands of dollars, people often board overcrowded rubber boats to embark on a dangerous, and sometimes deadly, journey along one of the busiest shipping routes in the world.
Last year, more than 41,000 migrants landed on the southern coast of England – the second highest annual figure since 2018.
According to AFP data based on official French and UK sources, 14 people have died this year trying to cross the English Channel.
Based on similar AFP calculations, at least 29 migrants lost their lives in the English Channel last year.
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