More than 150 migrants were rescued on Tuesday after a boat carrying them across the English Channel caught fire while attempting to reach the United Kingdom.
According to the French maritime prefecture for the Channel and North Sea, the vessel’s engine caught fire during the crossing. Authorities said 157 migrants were safely rescued and are being transported to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, with no deaths or injuries reported.
The prefecture noted that many of the migrants initially declined assistance from French emergency responders because they were determined to continue their journey to the UK. It added that they only accepted help when the situation became critical.
French rescue teams evacuated 103 people, while British rescue vessels brought 54 others to safety.
The incident comes as migration across the English Channel remains a major political issue in the UK. Speaking on Monday, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said efforts to reduce illegal Channel crossings were yielding results, citing an increase in enforcement personnel targeting people-smuggling networks on both sides of the Channel.
Burnham also stressed the importance of creating a migration system that provides safe and legal routes while strengthening action against organised smuggling operations.