240 asylum seekers have been rescued by French emergency services from the English Channel. The asylum seekers were traveling in small boats toward the southern coast of England. The rescues occurred in five different operations between Monday and Tuesday.
According to the UK authorities, 426 migrants and refugees were detected crossing the Channel after very few crossed last week due to bad weather. Britain and France signed a deal earlier this month to allow French authorities to be paid more to prevent the crossings. Last November, 27 people drowned after attempting to cross the Channel in a dinghy in the deadliest of the tragedies that occur while migrants attempt to cross the Channel.
Read More: France rescues 240 UK-bound asylum seekers in 24-hour period
