Three people have died trying to cross the English Channel in small boats as French authorities launched rescue operations to help almost 180 migrants.
Four separate rescue missions were launched on Wednesday after the Gris-Nez regional operational surveillance and rescue centre (CROSS) was alerted to several migrant boats in difficulty off the coast of Pas-de-Calais, northern France.
The occupants of one boat refused offers of help for more than two hours, during which time three people fell overboard off Cap Gris-Nez, authorities said.
At 11.15am the National Gendarmerie nautical brigade launch Eulimène offered help to the first small boat, but its occupants carried on without requesting assistance, France's maritime prefect of the Channel and the North Sea said.
However, “around noon, the passengers … asked to be rescued and recovered. The crew began their rescue and took on board 56 people”, it said.
“Once the rescue was completed at around 1.20pm the rescued people informed the crew of the BSAM Seine that three people had fallen into the sea earlier in the day during the attempted crossing.
“The BSAM Seine then began searching and saw a body drifting, the CROSS Gris-Nez simultaneously engaged the Dauphin helicopter of the French Navy and the public service patrol boat Flamant to try to find the body and other people possibly at sea.
The helicopter spotted three people in the sea, one of whom was already under the water.
“With instructions from the helicopter, the BSAM Seine found and recovered a first person, unconscious, but she could not be resuscitated on board. She was unfortunately declared dead at the dock.”
The authorities said the weather deteriorated and they had to call off the search for the other two missing people.
The 56 rescued people were taken to the port of Calais, and the Boulogne-sur-Mer public prosecutor’s office opened an investigation.
On Thursday, Patrick Leleu, deputy prosecutor at the judicial court of Boulogne-sur-Mer, said: “I can confirm the death of three migrants who fell into the water this afternoon off the coast of Cap Gris Nez.
“The investigation is ongoing.”
Earlier in the day rescue teams helped 55 migrants on a different boat and took them to Boulogne. They also rescued 14 people in difficulty off the coast of Sainte-Cécile and a further 54 people off the coast of Pas-de-Calais.
In total 179 people were pulled to safety by rescue crews.
Afghan migrant documents dangerous journey across Channel – video
The UK said it was not involved in the rescue operation.
“We can confirm there has been an incident in the Channel involving a small boat in French waters,” a UK government spokesman said.
“French authorities are leading the response and investigation. We will not be commenting further at this stage.”
“We warn anyone who plans to cross the Channel about the risks involved. This maritime sector is one of the busiest areas in the world, with more than 600 commercial ships sailing there in transit per day and the weather conditions are often difficult (120 days of wind greater than or equal to force 7 on an annual average for example).
“It is therefore a particularly dangerous sector, even when the sea seems beautiful,” the French maritime prefect of the Channel and the North Sea said.
Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, urged the authorities to rethink their approach to tackling small boat crossings.
“Our thoughts go out to the families of those affected by the tragic loss of life in the English Channel this afternoon and to all those who valiantly answered the distress call,” he said on Wednesday.
“This is yet another avoidable human tragedy.
“Men, women and children from countries such as Afghanistan are risking their lives in the Channel as a direct consequence of safe routes being so limited and ineffective.
“There will be more deaths unless the government rethinks its approach.
“Instead of the unlawful and costly Rwanda plan, we need a plan to provide sanctuary for those fleeing persecution, violence and torture without having to take dangerous journeys.”
Mr Solomon said the UK should expand options for family reunion, introduce refugee visas and put in place an agreement with the French government to “give people a fair hearing and treat them with dignity and humanity”.
This week, Home Office figures showed that more than 2,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after crossing the strait between England and France.
The number of Channel arrivals is 32 per cent lower than the total recorded this time last year (2,953) but 49 per cent higher than the total at this stage in 2022 (1,482).
A total of 29,437 migrants arrived in the UK after making the crossing in 2023, down 36 per cent on a record 45,774 arrivals in 2022.
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Fifa Club World Cup quarter-final
Kashima Antlers 3 (Nagaki 49’, Serginho 69’, Abe 84’)
Guadalajara 2 (Zaldivar 03’, Pulido 90')
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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More coverage from the Future Forum
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
if you go
The flights
Flydubai flies to Podgorica or nearby Tivat via Sarajevo from Dh2,155 return including taxes. Turkish Airlines flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Podgorica via Istanbul; alternatively, fly with Flydubai from Dubai to Belgrade and take a short flight with Montenegro Air to Podgorica. Etihad flies from Abu Dhabi to Podgorica via Belgrade. Flights cost from about Dh3,000 return including taxes. There are buses from Podgorica to Plav.
The tour
While you can apply for a permit for the route yourself, it’s best to travel with an agency that will arrange it for you. These include Zbulo in Albania (www.zbulo.org) or Zalaz in Montenegro (www.zalaz.me).
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
North Pole stats
Distance covered: 160km
Temperature: -40°C
Weight of equipment: 45kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 0
Terrain: Ice rock
South Pole stats
Distance covered: 130km
Temperature: -50°C
Weight of equipment: 50kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 3,300
Terrain: Flat ice
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday
AC Milan v Sampdoria (2.30pm kick-off UAE)
Atalanta v Udinese (5pm)
Benevento v Parma (5pm)
Cagliari v Hellas Verona (5pm)
Genoa v Fiorentina (5pm)
Lazio v Spezia (5pm)
Napoli v Crotone (5pm)
Sassuolo v Roma (5pm)
Torino v Juventus (8pm)
Bologna v Inter Milan (10.45pm)
Batti Gul Meter Chalu
Producers: KRTI Productions, T-Series
Director: Sree Narayan Singh
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyenndu Sharma, Yami Gautam
Rating: 2/5
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
MATCH INFO
Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium (Malacca, Malayisa)
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD
* Second leg in Australia scheduled for October 10
The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
Results
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Results
Final: Iran beat Spain 6-3.
Play-off 3rd: UAE beat Russia 2-1 (in extra time).
Play-off 5th: Japan beat Egypt 7-2.
Play-off 7th: Italy beat Mexico 3-2.
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
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