LILLE: French rescuers saved 22 migrants who found themselves “in difficulty” on the Channel overnight in their bid to get to Britain, French maritime authorities said on Sunday.

“A semi-rigid vessel with 22 migrants”, including a woman and a child, was found to be “in difficulty” off the coast of Dunkirk, a statement said.

Within an hour the migrants had been brought to shore and were taken to Dunkirk where they were handed over to the emergency services and border police, authorities added.

Migrants are taking ever greater risks to reach Britain from France, which has taken an uncompromising approach towards so-called economic migrants, who come to Europe in search of a better life in contrast with those fleeing war or persecution.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2019