Read Authentic Ratings for the Jeanne-Barret

On March 23, 2026, the CROSS Gris-Nez received urgent reports of multiple migrant boats setting sail across the turbulent waters of the Strait of Dover. In response, a comprehensive operation was initiated, deploying numerous rescue resources including the patrol boats 'Cormoran' and 'Jeanne Barret,' the coastal patrol boat 'Oyapock,' rescue vessels 'Minck' and 'Ridens,' as well as the lifeboat 'SNS 209 - Président JC Fortini' from the Tréport station. The Maritime Gendarmerie's patrol boat 'Maroni' and the RHIB 'Ouranos' from the National Gendarmerie were also part of the extensive rescue efforts. At approximately 12:45 p.m., a patrol unit reported the presence of a migrant boat near Hardelot, which was actively maneuvering towards the beach to collect additional individuals. The CROSS Gris-Nez promptly deployed 'Ouranos' for surveillance and dispatched the 'Jeanne Barret,' which launched its rescue craft (EDO) for assistance. The rescue operation unfolded amid overwhelming conditions, leading to the 'Ouranos' successfully rescuing 12 individuals who were perilously close to drowning. Concurrently, the EDO unit of 'Jeanne Barret' managed to save six additional migrants. Overall, 18 individuals were safely brought ashore in Boulogne-sur-Mer by around 2:00 p.m., where they were met by local rescue services. Meanwhile, the migrant boat continued its journey towards England, prompting the CROSS to reassign the 'Jeanne Barret' to maintain observation and readiness for potential assistance. British rescue authorities ultimately took control of the vessel later in the afternoon. Earlier that day, at approximately 1:00 p.m., a fishing vessel alerted the Ault lighthouse to a small craft experiencing engine failure, which was carrying six migrants. In response, the CROSS dispatched the 'Président JC Fortini' to assist. Initially, only two of the migrants requested immediate help, but after hours had passed, the other four decided to seek rescue from the lifeboat. All six individuals were safely disembarked at Le Tréport around 6:30 p.m. and were handed over to local rescue services for further care.

On March 3, 2026, a surge of migrant boats embarking from the French coast prompted swift action from CROSS Gris-Nez in the Strait of Dover. To ensure the safety of those on board, CROSS Gris-Nez mobilized an impressive array of resources, including the patrol boats 'Flamant' and 'Pluvier', the rescue vessel 'Minck', the patrol boat 'Jeanne Barret', the surveillance ship VCSM 'Maroni', the port surveillance vessel VSMP 'Rondache', the security vessel PSMP 'ESMP 03', and the RIB 'Ouranos'. The operation began around 5:30 a.m. when a makeshift boat was spotted departing from the Dunkirk-East port. In response, the 'Flamant' was dispatched to monitor and assist the vessel. By 7:30 a.m., this boat had picked up additional migrants near Petit-Fort-Philippe beach. Following a distress call around 1:00 p.m., the 'Flamant' successfully rescued all 74 individuals aboard, safely disembarking them at Calais around 5:00 p.m. In a separate incident on the same day, another migrant boat was detected by the Dunkirk semaphore station at approximately 6:30 a.m. The CROSS quickly deployed the 'ESMP 03' to assess the situation. The rescue efforts transitioned throughout the day with the 'Maroni' and 'Ouranos' taking over around 8:00 a.m. By 10:00 a.m., the 'Jeanne Barret' continued the monitoring until it was supported by the 'Pluvier' at 2:30 p.m. In a pivotal moment at 4:30 p.m., the 'Jeanne Barret' rescued 15 individuals who had requested help, three of whom were injured. They were transported to the port of Calais and received care from the Pas-de-Calais Departmental Fire and Rescue Service, being subsequently moved to the hospital for treatment. Additionally, on March 4, CROSS Gris-Nez coordinated state resources in a total of seven operations aimed at boats attempting the perilous crossing from France to the United Kingdom. In total, 89 migrants were successfully rescued during these operations, underscoring the critical nature of ongoing maritime humanitarian efforts in the region.

On November 6, a series of distress calls from migrant boats prompted a swift response from the CROSS Gris-Nez, mobilizing an extensive array of maritime and aerial support resources. Among the vessels deployed were: - The 'Minck', a rescue ship commissioned by the French government; - The Customs Coast Guard vessel 'Nordet'; - The Navy emergency tug 'Abeille Normandie'; - The coastal surveillance vessel 'Yser' from the Maritime Gendarmerie; - The Customs patrol boat 'Jacques Oudart Fourmentin'; - The 'Jeanne Barret' patrol boat; - Multiple lifeboats from the SNSM, including 'SNS 077-Notre-Dame du Risban' from Calais, 'SNS 087-Jean-Bart II' from Dunkirk, 'SNS 276-Notre Dame des Flandres' from Gravelines, and 'SNS 7-034 Notre-Dame des Sables' from Berck-sur-Mer; - The 'Ouranos' patrol boat from Calais' gendarmerie; - The surveillance vessels 'ESMP 03' and 'ESMP 04' from the PSMPs of Calais and Dunkirk; - An aircraft provided by Air Environnement and a French Navy Dauphin helicopter stationed in Le Touquet; - A Civil Security Dragon 76 helicopter; - A British Marlin aircraft. Following a tragic sinking incident near Dunkirk, state services rescued 94 individuals. Simultaneously, a large-scale aerial and maritime search operation was swiftly launched in the vicinity, though it was later called off. Earlier on that fateful morning, a migrant vessel in distress was reported in the Malo-les-Bains area. In response, the CROSS deployed 'ESMP 04' to aid a boat struck by the breakwater, which had thrown several passengers overboard. Promptly, 'SNS 087' and a rigid inflatable boat from 'Abeille Normandie' responded. Some individuals managed to reach the breakwater unaided, while the rigid inflatable boat rescued an injured person from the breakwater, bringing them safely to shore to be attended to by emergency responders. However, the migrant boat chose to continue its journey, declining further assistance offered by both 'ESMP 04' and 'Rondache', the latter dispatched to relieve the former. Later, CROSS Gris-Nez was alerted by the Calais port authority about another migrant boat that had run aground on a sandbank near the Walde lighthouse. The 'Ouranos' was then dispatched, successfully rescuing one individual and bringing him safely to Calais, where state services took over. In the same vicinity, CROSS was made aware of yet another distressed boat. The 'Jeanne Barret' along with 'SNS 077' commenced a search, ultimately locating the vessel and rescuing all seven individuals on board, who were brought ashore in Calais for necessary medical attention. The 'Jeanne Barret' continued monitoring a separate vessel in the area, successfully rescuing two more individuals before disembarking them at Boulogne-sur-Mer. As the afternoon progressed, the Ault lighthouse reported another migrant vessel in distress near Berck-sur-Mer. Once again, CROSS deployed the 'Jeanne Barret', alongside 'SNS 7-034', to provide monitoring and assistance. The lifeboat successfully rescued one individual struggling in the water before all were transported safely to shore by the fire department. During this continued monitoring, 'Jeanne Barret' managed to assist one more person in need.

In a series of coordinated rescue missions on the night of May 30 and into May 31, a total of 184 migrants were saved by French maritime authorities. The CROSS Gris-Nez reported several migrant boats departing, starting with one near the Fort-Mahon beach area. The patrol vessel 'Jeanne Barret' was sent to locate the boat, where upon arrival, several occupants signaled for assistance. The operational rescue boat (EDO) from 'Jeanne Barret' successfully rescued 60 individuals. A few migrants chose to remain on their precarious vessel but were ultimately retrieved as well, bringing the total rescued from this operation to 78. These individuals were taken ashore in Boulogne-sur-Mer in the early hours of May 31, where they received support from local authorities. Simultaneously, the CROSS Gris-Nez deployed the tug 'Abeille Normandie' to manage another migrant boat sighted near Wimereux beach. After monitoring, the vessel's engine failure prompted the remaining migrants to call for help, leading to the successful recovery of 61 individuals. Following this, 'Abeille Normandie' was involved in two additional boat monitoring missions before sailing to Boulogne-sur-Mer to safely disembark the rescued migrants. At around the same time, the Dunkirk signal reported another departure involving a taxi boat retrieving migrants from Grand-Fort Philippe beach. The 'Oyapock', already patrolling the area for another vessel, tracked the taxi boat with the aid of an S-100 drone from the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). The CROSS Gris-Nez then dispatched the PSP 'Cormoran' to oversee migrant boats entering the traffic separation scheme. Early on May 31, 'Cormoran' successfully rescued nine migrants, who were later disembarked in Calais during the early afternoon. Shortly thereafter, the 'SNS-067 - Mona Rigolet', dispatched from the Calais SNSM station, was tasked with assisting a boat off Dunkirk. After arriving at the scene, the lifeboat conducted surveillance and subsequently rescued 36 migrants, who also made their way to Calais in the early afternoon. Overall, the extensive rescue operations conducted over the two days led to the safe recovery of 184 individuals, ensuring they were promptly provided for by government services.

On the night of March 21, 2025, a distress call was received regarding a migrant boat that had set sail from Hardelot, leading the CROSS Gris-Nez to mobilize the vessel 'Jeanne Barret' for surveillance. As the situation unfolded, the migrant boat experienced severe engine issues, prompting the occupants to seek urgent help. In a timely response, the 'Jeanne Barret' successfully rescued all 57 individuals onboard, ensuring their safe return to Boulogne-sur-Mer port.

In a remarkable operation occurring overnight from March 20 to March 21, 2025, a significant number of migrant boats faced perilous situations, leading to the rescue of 168 individuals by French maritime authorities. The night commenced with the CROSS Gris-Nez receiving alerts about various boats departing for the English Channel. At dusk on March 20, the CROSS Gris-Nez dispatched the vessel 'Minck' to investigate reports of a distressed boat near the Slack dunes. Upon arrival, 'Minck' assessed the situation and found the boat's engine had failed. Responding to their distress signal, the crew of 'Minck' successfully rescued 62 migrants, who were subsequently transported to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer in the early hours. Shortly afterward, the CROSS Gris-Nez engaged the tug 'Abeille Normandie', which was dispatched to assist another group of migrants off the coast of Slack. The tug managed to bring aboard 35 individuals, including two injured and one unconscious. The emergency response escalated as a Dauphin helicopter from the French Navy, operating from Le Touquet, was called in to evacuate the unconscious migrant. The helicopter successfully airlifted the victim and transported them to Boulogne-sur-Mer hospital for immediate treatment. Meanwhile, the other survivors from 'Abeille Normandie' were also delivered to safety at Boulogne-sur-Mer for evaluation by local firefighters. Concurrently, the remaining migrants aboard the first boat chose to proceed on their journey without requesting assistance, all the while being monitored by French maritime resources. In a continued effort to protect human life, the CROSS Gris-Nez engaged other vessels, including the 'Jeanne Barret' and 'SNS 076-Président Jacques Huret' from the Boulogne-sur-Mer SNSM station, to locate a vulnerable vessel in the Cran-Poulet area. The 'Abeille Normandie' joined the rescue efforts, and ultimately, the 'Jeanne Barret' successfully rescued 63 additional migrants, who were also taken back to Boulogne-sur-Mer by dawn. Additionally, off the coast of Dunkirk, the 'Ridens' was deployed to rescue eight more individuals stranded on another boat, while other migrants chose to continue their journey without calling for aid. After completing their rescue mission, the 'Ridens' transported the eight rescued migrants to the Calais quayside. In total, this extensive multi-agency operation resulted in the successful rescue of 168 boat people, with three sustaining injuries and receiving medical attention from ground rescue services and at Boulogne-sur-Mer hospital.