More than 150 migrants have been rescued after the small boat they were using to cross the English Channel caught fire on Tuesday morning, French authorities have confirmed.
According to the French maritime prefecture for the Channel and North Sea, the vessel was en route to the United Kingdom when its engine burst into flames.
Officials said 157 migrants were rescued and are being transported to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer. There have been no reports of deaths or injuries.
The incident came a day after Prime Minister Andy Burnham vowed that his government would remain “relentless” in tackling the growing number of migrants attempting to reach the UK by small boats.
Migrants Initially Refused Rescue
French authorities said the vessel departed from the French coast on Monday night.
They explained that during the night, rescue teams attempted to assist the occupants after five people required immediate help.
“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 French maritime prefecture said in a statement.
Officials added that because of the “structural fragility” of the small boats commonly used for Channel crossings, they chose not to intervene further at that stage.
However, by Tuesday morning, the situation worsened significantly after the boat’s engine caught fire.
Authorities said the “vessel’s integrity deteriorated very rapidly”, prompting a full-scale rescue operation.
French and UK Rescue Teams Respond
Rescue vessels from both France and the United Kingdom were deployed, including the RNLI Eastbourne lifeboat and UK Border Force vessels BSC Contender and BSC Courageous.
French rescue teams evacuated 103 migrants, while British crews rescued another 54.
All 157 survivors are being taken to Boulogne-sur-Mer for medical assessment and assistance, with authorities expecting them to arrive around 12:30 local time (11:30 BST).
A UK government spokesperson confirmed that the Border Security Command was alerted after a migrant boat encountered distress in French waters.
The spokesperson said British vessels supported the rescue operation and confirmed that no fatalities had been reported.
The government added that the incident “underlines the terrible dangers of small boat crossings”.
“We continue to work relentlessly with the French and our partners overseas to prevent these perilous journeys,” the spokesperson said.
Earlier, the UK Coastguard confirmed:
“A vessel caught fire earlier this morning whilst in the French search and rescue region. UK vessels and a lifeboat are assisting.”
Political Reactions
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp criticised the response by French authorities, saying:
“This is why it’s so wrong that French police stand by and do nothing while the illegal migrant boats embark – lives are being risked.”
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage also reacted on X, writing:
“We must put a stop to this. Our plan will save lives.”
Earlier this week, Reform UK announced that, if elected, it would deploy the Royal Navy to help prevent Channel crossings.
Migration Debate Intensifies
The latest rescue comes as political debate over illegal migration continues across Europe, particularly following the arrival of tens of thousands of migrants in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta last week.
The Conservative Party has accused Labour of failing to deliver on its migration promises, while the Liberal Democrats have urged the government to strengthen cooperation with European partners and accelerate the processing of asylum applications.
The number of migrants arriving in the UK by small boats since Andy Burnham became prime minister two weeks ago has now exceeded 2,000.
Last Wednesday marked the busiest day for Channel crossings this year, with 752 migrants reaching the UK.
Although summer typically sees higher crossing numbers due to calmer weather, Home Office figures indicate that arrivals so far this year are approximately 43 per cent lower than during the same period last year. Crossings peaked in 2022 and have generally declined since then.
During a visit to Dover on Monday, Burnham said progress had been made but acknowledged that “people want to see this issue addressed”.
He added that enforcement officers targeting people-smuggling gangs have been doubled on both sides of the Channel, while emphasising the need to develop “a system that offers safe routes for people”.
In April, the UK and France agreed to a £662 million (€773 million) three-year border security deal aimed at reducing illegal Channel crossings. The agreement includes the deployment of riot-trained officers on French beaches, expanded drone surveillance, helicopters, and enhanced efforts to intercept migrant boats before they leave the French coast.
The UK government has also indicated that around £100 million in funding could be redirected or withheld if the agreement fails to significantly reduce the number of crossings, although specific performance targets for France have not been disclosed.
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