PARIS (Reuters) -The French coastguard has rescued 36 migrants in the English Channel who were trying to cross to Britain in an inflatable dinghy, the maritime authority for northern France said on Thursday.

       French authorities were intercepting inflatable boats several times a month, returning people to French shores, a spokeswoman said.

       In November, 27 migrants died when their dinghy deflated as they tried to cross the English Channel.

       (Reporting by Geert de Clercq; Editing by Richard Lough)