British and French rescue 157 migrants after Channel fire

A major joint rescue operation by British and French authorities saved 157 migrants from the English Channel on Tuesday, August 4, after the engine of their overcrowded dinghy caught fire, forcing all on board into the water. The incident, one of the largest single-vessel rescues recorded in the Channel, resulted in no reported fatalities.

The boat had departed from the French coast near Veules-les-Roses in Normandy on the evening of Monday, August 3. French maritime authorities stated they monitored the vessel overnight, and five people were taken ashore in Boulogne-sur-Mer after requesting assistance. The remaining passengers refused further help at that time, determined to continue toward the United Kingdom.

The situation turned critical on Tuesday morning when the boat's engine caught fire while it was still within the French search and rescue zone, near the boundary with British waters. Officials said the vessel's integrity deteriorated rapidly, compelling everyone on board to jump into the sea. A coordinated response involving French rescue ships, a navy helicopter, British Border Security Command vessels, and an RNLI lifeboat from Eastbourne was launched around 6 a.m....