More than 150 migrants were rescued on Tuesday after a small boat attempting to cross the English Channel from France to Britain caught fire, prompting a joint rescue operation by French and British authorities.
French officials said all 157 people on board were brought to safety and no deaths or injuries had been reported. The French maritime prefecture for the Channel and North Sea said the vessel left the northern French coast on Monday night and encountered difficulties during the crossing after its engine caught fire early on Tuesday.
Authorities said the blaze rapidly compromised the boat’s structure, forcing an emergency response involving rescue vessels from both France and the United Kingdom. French rescue teams recovered 103 migrants, while British vessels rescued the remaining 54.
All survivors were transported to the French port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, where they were expected to arrive around midday local time for medical assessments and further assistance. The rescue followed an earlier overnight operation in which five people aboard the same vessel accepted assistance from French patrol boats.
The remaining passengers declined rescue despite repeated offers, insisting on continuing their journey toward the United Kingdom. French authorities said migrants attempting Channel crossings in overcrowded inflatable boats frequently refuse intervention unless faced with an immediate threat to life.
Officials added that the fragile construction of such vessels often makes boarding operations hazardous, limiting opportunities for rescue unless conditions deteriorate significantly.
The UK Coastguard confirmed that the incident occurred within the French search-and-rescue zone and said British assets were deployed to support the operation.
“A vessel caught fire earlier this morning whilst in the French search and rescue region. UK vessels and a lifeboat are assisting,” the Coastguard said in a statement.
The incident comes amid renewed political debate over irregular migration across the English Channel, one of the world’s busiest shipping routes. The discussion has intensified following a recent surge in migrant movements elsewhere in Europe, including thousands of people entering Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta.
Speaking during a visit to Dover on Monday, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said his government would remain “relentless” in tackling illegal migration and the criminal gangs that organise dangerous small-boat crossings.
Burnham said the number of enforcement officers targeting people-smuggling networks had doubled on both sides of the Channel but stressed that stronger border security should be accompanied by expanded legal pathways for those seeking protection.
Opposition parties criticised the government’s approach. The Conservatives argued Labour had failed to deliver on its migration pledges, while Reform UK said it would deploy the Royal Navy to deter small-boat crossings if elected to government.
The English Channel remains one of Europe’s most closely monitored migration routes, with thousands of people continuing to attempt the dangerous crossing each year despite heightened enforcement and repeated warnings from authorities.
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