More than 150 migrants have been rescued after the small boat they were using to cross the English Channel caught fire, French maritime authorities have confirmed.
The vessel, which was attempting to travel from France to the United Kingdom, suffered an engine fire on Tuesday morning, causing the condition of the boat to deteriorate rapidly.
According to the French maritime prefecture of the Channel and North Sea, 157 people were rescued and taken towards the French port city of Boulogne-sur-Mer. No injuries or deaths have been reported.
French authorities said the boat left France on Monday night, but some passengers initially refused assistance from rescue teams because they were determined to reach the UK.
“Because of the structural fragility of the boats used for these crossings,” authorities said they decided not to intervene further at that stage until the situation became critical.
The rescue operation involved vessels from both France and the United Kingdom, including the RNLI Eastbourne lifeboat and UK Border Force vessels.
French rescue boats saved 103 migrants, while British vessels rescued 54 others.
A UK government spokesperson said Border Security Command was alerted to the incident involving a migrant boat in distress in French waters, adding that British teams assisted in the rescue effort.
The incident comes amid renewed debate over migration policies in the UK, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledging to take stronger action to reduce the number of migrants arriving on small boats.
Burnham said authorities had increased efforts against people-smuggling gangs but stressed the need for safer legal routes for migration.
The UK government and France earlier signed a £662 million agreement aimed at tackling illegal Channel crossings, including increased policing, drone surveillance and measures targeting smuggling networks.
Despite concerns over the dangers of the journeys, thousands of migrants continue to attempt the Channel crossing each year, particularly during warmer months when sea conditions are calmer.
