Frontex, the European Coast Guard and Border Guard Agency, highlighted for the first time a patrol ship for the English Channel. This action represents a milestone in European cooperation for the management of maritime borders in the region.
The ship was sent to support French authorities in search and rescue operations of migrants. The main objective is to assist in the rescue of people attempting to cross the English Channel in small vessels, a route that has been increasingly used by migrants trying to reach the United Kingdom.
The English Channel is one of the busiest waterways in the world and frequently presents adverse sea conditions, which makes these crossings extremely dangerous. The intensification of these migratory flows has put pressure on rescue services and border authorities on both sides of the channel.
