A dinghy carrying 157 migrants capsized in the English Channel after its engine caught fire at sea. The incident occurred on Tuesday, 4 August 2026.
French vessels, aided by two British Border Security Command boats and an RNLI lifeboat, rescued those in the water. Authorities said the migrants are now being taken to Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France. Some 54 of the migrants were taken to France on the British vessels.
Political Reaction
The incident comes a day after Reform UK said it would launch a military operation in the English Channel to stop small boats if it were in power. Zia Yusuf, the party's home affairs spokesman, described the proposals as the "largest military operation in the English Channel since World War Two".
Responding to the incident, party leader Nigel Farage said: "We must put a stop to this. Our plan will saves lives."
Background
According to the University of Oxford's Migration Observatory, a total of 162 people died in the English Channel between 2018 and 2025.
