Coastguard warning as man rescued by passenger ferry in channel

By Michael Drummond, PA South East Correspondent

The French coastguard has repeated warnings to migrants about the dangers of the English Channel after a man had to be rescued by a passenger ferry.

The crew of P&O Ferries ship Pride of Canterbury spotted a man in the water 20km north of Calais on Monday morning.

The ferry had been sailing from Calais to Dover when the man was seen in the water.

A fast rescue boat was sent out from the ship to assist him, the ferry operator said.

After pulling the migrant - a man in his thirties wearing a surf suit - from the water, he was transferred on to a French navy helicopter.

He was suffering from "severe hypothermia" and was airlifted to hospital in Calais at around 12.45pm, the French coastguard said.

Following the incident, the coastguard reiterated warnings that migrants are risking their lives when they cross the Channel, which is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world.