A flotilla of migrants in giant inflatable boats left the French coast on a UK-bound voyage across the Channel in choppy conditions today – without a French police officer in sight.
MailOnline saw two beaches near Calais that were inhabited by migrants and their dinghies disappearing.
Migrants who fled to sand dunes for the night were seen dragging two massive black inflatables, 50ft in length, down high cliffs to reach sea.
Early morning French dog walkers and a jogger watched in amazement as the two separate groups, each numbering around 40 people, ran to the water’s edge with their giant boats.
As the migrants made their way across the English Channel, the smugglers waded to the bottom of the water as they climbed aboard.
As they fired up their Yamaha outboard engines, cheers were heard from the other boat and they headed out to the surf in search of a better life in the UK.
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MailOnline observed at least two boats full of migrants leaving Calais’ remote beaches.
The majority of these two groups were wearing bright orange lifejackets, although some did not wear any as they set off from Wimereux.
These incredible scenes were witnessed by no police officers, even though the French authorities had promised to take action against migrant boats.
After a MailOnline reporter saw lifejackets openly given at an informal migrant camp in Grand Synthe, near Dunkirk, the boats took off.
Some men were seen carrying bags filled with bright orange life jackets, as charity organizations gave away free food and medicine on Monday afternoon.
Later on, several large groups of migrants could be seen waiting for buses at nearby stops opposite Auchan’s superstore. They were carrying life jackets and bags.
A migrant from one group who said he was an Iraqi Kurd told MailOnline: “We are all Arabs. Some are Syrian. We are just looking to travel to the UK.
Shrugging his shoulders, he added: “Of course we are going to cross the sea, but we don’t know when it is going to happen.
“We have been given our jackets and we are waiting for instructions. We don’t know if it will be tonight?”.
Two huge black 50ft inflatables were carried down the cliffs by the migrants, who had spent the night in hiding under sand dunes.
As they fired up their Yamaha outboard engines, cheers were heard from the other boat and they headed out to the surf in search of a better life in the UK.
According to the migrant, he arrived in Grand Synthe from Turkey by way of a smuggled lorry. However, he wouldn’t say how much money he paid to smugglers.
He added: “The conditions in the camp here are filthy. We have only been here five days and I cannot wait to leave.”
Members of the group were seen intently looking at their mobile phones while apparently waiting to be told where to go as they waited for one of the Dunkirk area’s free local buses.
Numerous migrants could be seen walking towards the beaches from Wimereux, 40 miles to the south of Grand Synthe.
Many had large backpacks that contained their bare possessions and hid their lifejackets.
They may have walked up a cliff, heading north to beaches that were just north of town. There they could wait in the dunes hidden behind bushes and vegetation.
A MailOnline reporter heard the excitement of a group of migrants on the shore at La Pointe Aux Oies, two miles west from Wimereux. It was 6.15am this morning.
Children’s voices, as well as those of adults, gradually became muffled and the group was seen moving towards the sea.
As they were seen briefly, lights from torches could be seen climbing into boats at low tide 200 meters from the top of the dunes.
A few minutes later, three or four men were seen walking back along the beach to the dunes. This suggests that they had launched the boat successfully.
Around 30 minutes later, shadowy figures could be seen walking to the shore and heading towards the ocean.
The beach was occupied by at least two men, who were occasionally seen walking back to the dunes after dawn broke around 8:15 am.
A large group of migrants appeared suddenly about half an hour later. Their fully-inflated, outsized boat was carried down the clifftop and through the dunes.
As the waves lapped about them, they raced along the beach with the boat.
The group claimed that they all were Iraqi Kurds. One member said they had been in France for seven long years and then they moved on to the bustling shipping lanes.
As the outboard began to glow, the Minders, who had helped the boat reach the water’s edge were seen running up the beach. The vessel was then off into the misty early morning.
At around the same time, a MailOnline photographer witnessed another 50ft long black inflatable boat being carried down the neighbouring beach at Fort d’Ambleteuse by a group of around 50 migrants.
As the majority of the group got onboard, shouting could be heard. The boat appeared to have reached its maximum capacity.
A few people, including a small child, stayed on the shore to prevent overcrowding of the boat.
Blue short-shorted man in a visor cap, a top with luminescent sleeves and blue pants appeared to be giving instructions to others still at the shore.
Also, it looked as if he was going to check the lifejackets. Perhaps he could be able to get them a seat on the next boat.
Although the two beaches are separated by a rock outcrop, they can be joined at the top by pathways.
MailOnline found evidence that a previous voyage ended in disaster when it discovered an inflatable floating on rocks.