18 migrants were rescued off the coast of Pas-de-Calais

Nearly 20 people were rescued on Monday, March 9, in the English Channel, after several overcrowded migrant boats set sail in the Strait of Dover. Several migrant boats were reported on Monday, March 9, to the Pas-de-Calais Regional Operational Surveillance and Rescue Center (CROSS), the Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea announced in a press release on Tuesday. In total, 18 people were rescued in the Strait of Dover after requesting assistance and spending nearly 10 hours at sea. None of them were injured.

"The Maritime Prefect of the English Channel and the North Sea warns anyone considering crossing the Channel of the risks involved," the statement continues. "This maritime area is one of the busiest in the world, and weather conditions are often difficult (strong winds and currents, numerous sandbanks, and water temperatures that reduce life expectancy to just a few minutes in winter)."