French coastguard rescues 83 people from UK-bound small boats off the coast of Gravelines

Eighty-three migrants on two UK-bound small boats have been rescued in the Channel.

The French coastguard said several small boats tried to cross the Channel on Sunday, with two getting into difficulty off the coast of Gravelines.

On Sunday morning, the coastguard said 54 people had been rescued from one boat and 29 from another.

They were taken to the port of Calais, where they were met by emergency services, according to the translation of a statement from the Prefecture maritime de la Manche et de la mer du Nord.

One person, who was unwell, was given medical attention, the coastguard added.

It comes after the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) said 26 migrants in a small boat crossed the Channel to reach the UK on Saturday.

The total number of migrants to arrive in the UK after crossing the Channel so far this year is 991, according to MoD data.