NNA - About 50 migrants trying to reach England were rescued off the English Channel on Saturday morning, while searches were underway for two people reported missing, maritime authorities said in a statement.

A total of 57 people on board the boat requested assistance, but about 15 others "refused assistance... and continued their journey under appropriate supervision" by emergency services, the same sources said.

"Given the risks to the migrants if measures were taken to force them onto government rescue boats, they were allowed to continue their journey," the Manche and North Sea Maritime Authority said in a statement.

Once the rescue operation was completed, rescued migrants were informed that “two people had jumped into the sea to help someone who had fallen in before them.”

Following this, searches were conducted by sea, air and land but they were not located.

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