More than 100 migrants have been rescued as they attempted to cross the English Channel at Christmas, officials said

French authorities said they rescued 107 migrants who attempted to cross the English Channel from France to England on Wednesday.

The French Canal and North Sea Administration said in a statement that during Christmas Day, 12 rescue operations were carried out along the coast of northern France, including a rescue of a boat that suffered an engine failure.

Maritime authorities said that in the morning, 30 passengers were rescued from a boat near Dunkirk, while the others on board wished to continue the journey and were detained by Britain as soon as they arrived in British waters.

Another boat with engine damage was spotted later in the day, also near Dunkirk, and all 51 passengers were rescued.

Later, 26 people were taken off a boat in difficulties near Calais.

The canal is “a particularly dangerous area, especially at the height of winter, for unstable and overloaded boats,” the statement said.

At least 73 immigrants He died trying to cross Channel to Britain this year, according to Pas-de-Calais authorities, making 2024 the deadliest year ever for the crossing.

Tens of thousands more arrived in Britain, where the government pledged to take tough action against people smuggling gangs.

In November, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for greater international cooperation against gangs, which he described as a “global security threat akin to terrorism.”