Nearly 200 migrants in small boats rescued in Channel

Nearly 200 migrants trying to cross the Channel from France to Britain in small boats were rescued between late Friday and late Saturday, French coastal authorities said.

A total 184 people were picked up in four different rescue operations, the maritime prefecture for France's Channel and northern region said in a statement on Sunday.

In one instance, the motor died on a boat carrying 61 people. In another, nine people on a boat called for assistance.

According to an AFP tally of official figures, 15 people have died so far this year trying to cross the Channel, one of the busiest areas in the world for shipping.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in May announced tougher new policies to tackle high levels of regular and irregular migration, in an attempt to stem a growing loss of support to the hard right.

They include looking at the creation of centres in other countries to take in migrants whose asylum applications have been turned down.

The EU has also unveiled plans to make it easier to send asylum seekers to certain countries outside the bloc, in the latest overhaul aimed at reducing irregular migration.