A “professional swimmer” who crossed the English Channel from England to France on Tuesday is missing, French maritime authorities said, announcing in the evening the search was suspended after several hours of investigation and heavy use of resources.
“Informed” on the day of this disappearance, the Operational Surveillance and Rescue Center (CROSS) Gris-Nez quickly deployed two French and Belgian military helicopters, a French Navy patrol boat, a French Gendarmerie coastal patrol boat and, according to the French maritime authorities, they are a lifeboat at sea (SNSM).
However, “without further elements being added and the likely area of disappearance having been fully investigated for several hours, the Channel and North Sea Maritime Prefect decided to “deliberately break the search”.
The maritime authorities contacted stated that “more than six hours” passed between the first call and the announcement of the end of the search.
The identity and age of this swimmer are currently unknown, a spokeswoman said.
This type of “professional” crossing, which is “compulsorily supervised by a boat,” is only allowed in England and never in France, she added.
On Tuesday, the departments of northern France were classified by Météo France as a “yellow” vigilance authority for thunderstorms.