LILLE, (France): French maritime authorities said they had rescued 72 migrants in the English Channel on Sunday whose vessels ran into difficulties as they tried to reach the UK.

Early Sunday, the coastguard was alerted that several boats were in trouble off the coast of Calais.

One was picked up by a French patrol boat and the 38 people on board taken to Calais.

Meanwhile, 34 more migrants were rescued by a tugboat operated by the French navy and taken to Boulogne-sur-Mer, also on France’s Channel coast.

All the rescued migrants were in good health and were handed over to rescue services and the border police.