A total of 58 people, including nine minors, were picked up by French authorities in the Dieppe region on the Normandy coast on Monday night and early Tuesday.
Three groups of people reported to be migrants were found and taken into the care of authorities, according to a statement from the regional authority.
On Monday night (August 26), 29 people, two of them minors, were discovered by a patrol at Greges, a seaside resort near the port of Dieppe.
"At around 3 am I was woken up and asked if a space was available" to lodge them, the mayor of Greges, Bertrand Arent, told AFP, saying he had also given water and biscuits to the Afghan, Iraqi and Eritrean migrants.
The group had been found inside a large lorry, the mayor added. According to the statement, they received assistance from the fire department and the Red Cross, which provided medical care.
Officials also examined their individual residence status, "in order to take appropriate action," the prefecture said.
The same night, five other migrants were discovered in Dieppe. One was taken into custody.
In a third operation on Tuesday morning, a patrol spotted a group of 24 migrants near Longroy. This group, which included five children, was also looked after by emergency workers and the Red Cross.
The prefect of Seine-Maritime praised "the commitment and strong responsiveness of all those involved in these various operations". Patrols in the area would be reinforced "to increase prevention and the ability to react in these situations," the prefecture announced.
Also read: Channel crossings: 'More people die when they set sail than on the open sea'
Boats making longer journeys
British authorities said this month that the number of migrants arriving across the Channel on boats from France reached a record high in the first half of 2024.
The boats have been setting out from points farther south on the French coast in order to bypass patrols in the region of Calais and Boulogne-sur-Mer, which are much closer to England.
The distance by boat from Dieppe to the beaches of Kent is more than 130 kilometers. The region is also surrounded by cliffs, making the launching of boats more difficult.
The number of deaths during attempts to cross the Channel has risen significantly, despite increased surveillance and the deployment of personnel. So far this year at least 25 migrants have lost their lives, some suffocating in overcrowded dinghies.
Also read: Migrant dies in Channel as crossings continue
with AFP