London, Aug 4 (PA Media/dpa/GNA) – A dinghy carrying 157 migrants has capsized in the English Channel, after its engine caught fire.
They were rescued from the water by French vessels, helped by two British Border Security Command boats and a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat, and are being taken to Boulogne-sur-Mer, French authorities said.
The dinghy caught fire while still in the French search and rescue region on Tuesday morning, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said.
A total of 54 migrants were taken to France on the British vessels. There have been no reported fatalities, the UK government said.
In a translated statement, French authorities said the decision was initially made not to force the migrants to board rescue vessels to “avoid endangering their lives.” A UK government spokesperson said, “This morning, the Border Security Command was alerted to an incident in the Channel concerning a migrant small boat in distress in French waters. “British vessels supported a French search and rescue operation. This is a live rescue operation but at this stage there have been no fatalities reported. Those on board will be safely returned to France. “This 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 number of people on the boat, which left the beach at Veules-les-Roses, near Dieppe, on Monday night, makes it one of the biggest ever to attempt to cross the Channel. A record 165 migrants crossed in a single vessel last month in a 13-metre boat dubbed a “mega dinghy” by the media.
A coastguard spokesperson said, “A vessel caught fire earlier this morning whilst in the French search and rescue region. UK vessels and a lifeboat are assisting.”
An RNLI spokesperson said Eastbourne’s all-weather lifeboat launched at 6 am (0500 GMT) on Tuesday. The incident comes a day after Reform UK proposed using the Royal Navy to return migrants to France or Belgium under a plan called “operation fortress.”
The party has described the scheme as a humanitarian response. Responding on X, party leader Nigel Farage said: “We must put a stop to this. Our plan will save lives.” Deputy leader Richard Tice said: “Just like Reform policy: rescue and return. “It’s the humanitarian thing to do. We must stop people dying.”
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said, “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.”
Last Wednesday marked the busiest day for small boat crossings in the English Channel so far this year, with 752 migrants arriving in the UK, but the number of overall arrivals for 2026 has dropped since last year.
The provisional total for the year is 14,526, 43% lower than the number recorded by this time last year (25,436) and down 14% on the same period in 2024 (16,903).
GNA