- The French coastguard rescued 78 people after the engine on their small boat failed while attempting to cross the Channel from Belgium.
- The rescue operation took place on Friday, with the individuals disembarking in Calais for care by local rescue services.
- French authorities noted that migrants often refuse assistance until facing extreme urgency, despite the Channel being a particularly dangerous maritime area.
- This incident follows another rescue on Thursday, where 25 people were saved after setting off from France and Belgium.
- The head of the UK's Border Security Command, Martin Hewitt, is set to step down at the end of March, following a year that saw the second-highest annual total of Channel crossings.
IN FULL
