More Than 150 Migrants Rescued After Boat Catches Fire During Channel Crossing

More than 150 migrants were rescued on Tuesday after the small boat they were using to cross the English Channel caught fire, prompting a major joint rescue operation by French and British authorities.

French maritime authorities said the vessel, carrying migrants attempting to reach the United Kingdom, developed an engine fire before its condition deteriorated rapidly, forcing emergency services to evacuate everyone on board.

According to the French Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and North Sea, 157 migrants were rescued and transported to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer. Authorities said there were no reports of deaths or injuries.

The incident occurred barely 24 hours after British Prime Minister Andy Burnham vowed that his government would remain “relentless” in tackling illegal Channel crossings.

French authorities disclosed that the boat departed the French coast on Monday night.

They said five people initially accepted rescue assistance overnight, while the remaining passengers refused help despite repeated offers from French patrol boats.

“Determined to reach the United Kingdom, migrants crossing the Channel in small boats refused assistance offered by French emergency service, accepting it only in situations of extreme emergency,” the maritime prefecture said in a statement.

Authorities explained that they refrained from boarding the overcrowded vessel earlier because of the “structural fragility” of the small boats commonly used for Channel crossings, warning that intervention could have increased the risk to those onboard.

However, the situation worsened on Tuesday morning when the boat’s engine caught fire.

The prefecture said the “vessel’s integrity deteriorated very rapidly,” triggering a full-scale rescue operation involving both French and British emergency services.

French rescue vessels evacuated 103 migrants, while UK rescue teams, including the RNLI Eastbourne lifeboat and UK Border Force vessels BSC Contender and BSC Courageous, rescued the remaining 54 passengers.

All 157 migrants were taken to Boulogne-sur-Mer, where they were expected to receive medical assessment and humanitarian assistance upon arrival.

Earlier, the UK Coastguard confirmed the emergency, saying: “A vessel caught fire earlier this morning whilst in the French search and rescue region. UK vessels and a lifeboat are assisting.”

The latest rescue has renewed political debate over illegal migration across the English Channel, amid continuing pressure on the UK government to curb small-boat crossings.

Speaking during a visit to Dover on Monday, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said his administration had made progress in reducing illegal crossings but insisted further action was needed.

“People want to see this issue addressed,” Burnham said.

He added that the number of enforcement officers targeting people-smuggling networks had been doubled on both sides of the Channel, while stressing that “a system that offers safe routes for people” must also be developed.

Opposition parties, however, maintained pressure on the government, with the Conservatives accusing Labour of failing to fulfil its migration promises, while Reform UK said it would deploy the Royal Navy to deter migrant crossings if elected into government.