More than 130 people have been rescued after their makeshift vessels became stranded in the Channel as they tried to reach Britain from France, French authorities said. Two navy vessels and two lifeboats brought the 138 refugees back to shore after authorities were informed on Thursday that “many boats trying to cross the Channel were in trouble”. Police and local authorities in northern France received the passengers after the rescue operation. From the start of 2021 until 20 November, 31,500 migrants left the French coast for Britain with a record 1,185 landing on the English coast on 11 November. The issue of Channel crossings has led to increasing tension between the UK and French governments. The UK recently provided £54m financial support to France to reduce Channel crossing attempts by funding additional police patrols of the French beaches and over a wider area. The UK government has accused Emmanuel Macron’s administration of not meeting its obligations, which the French have denied. They have insisted that policing the beaches is insufficient. Earlier this week, people crossing the Channel called on the UK Coastguard to review its procedures, after claims that officials regularly redirect them to French emergency services after they make 999 calls in what they believe to be UK waters. Relatives and survivors of the mass tragedy in the Channel in which at least 27 people lost their lives in November said that repeated distress calls were made to both countries’ coastguards and that the UK had told them to contact the French rescue services. Dan O’Mahoney, the government’s clandestine channel threat commander, told parliament’s human rights committee this month that he could not say with any certainty whether or not those onboard had rung for help. A spokesperson for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency denied the claims.