French and British rescue teams saved 157 people after the small boat they were using to cross the English Channel caught fire on Tuesday morning, French authorities said. The vessel, which had left France on Monday night, was bound for the UK when its engine ignited. All those rescued were taken to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer; there were no immediate reports of injuries or fatalities.
The maritime prefecture for the Channel and North Sea said that overnight five people aboard required help from French vessels, but most on board initially refused assistance from patrol boats because they were intent on reaching the UK. Officials said the boats used for crossings are often structurally fragile, so French crews limited further intervention until the situation became an emergency. When the engine fire caused the boat’s condition to worsen rapidly, rescue craft from both countries responded.
Two French vessels recovered 103 people, while British craft, including the RNLI Eastbourne lifeboat and UK Border Force vessels BSC Contender and BSC Courageous, rescued 54. All those brought ashore were given treatment in Boulogne-sur-Mer.
The incident has been seized on by UK politicians debating migration policy. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp criticised French authorities for not intervening earlier, saying lives are being put at risk when small boats are allowed to depart. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said crossings must stop and reiterated his party’s proposal to use the navy to deter small-boat attempts if elected.
Political attention on Channel crossings has intensified since tens of thousands of migrants entered the Spanish exclave of Ceuta last week. The main UK parties have traded accusations: Conservatives argue Labour has not fulfilled migration promises, while the Liberal Democrats call for better cooperation with European partners and measures to reduce the asylum backlog.
Since Andy Burnham became prime minister two weeks ago, more than 2,000 people have arrived in the UK on small boats. Last Wednesday was the busiest day this year, with 752 arrivals. Home Office figures show crossings so far this year are about 43% lower than at the same point last year; numbers peaked in 2022 and have trended down since.
Burnham, who visited Dover on Monday, said some progress had been made in reducing arrivals and stressed the need for both stronger enforcement and the creation of safe, legal routes. He also said officers targeting people-smuggling networks have been doubled on both sides of the Channel.
In April the UK and France agreed a three-year, £662 million deal aimed at preventing illegal Channel crossings. The package includes sending riot-trained police to French beaches, deploying drones and helicopters, and other measures intended to intercept smugglers. UK ministers have said about £100 million of funding could be withheld or redirected after a year if sufficient results are not achieved, though specific French targets have not been publicly confirmed.
The recent rescue underlines the risks migrants face on small, fragile boats and the complex, politically charged effort to reduce dangerous crossings while managing asylum and border policy.