Nearly 160 people have been rescued from a migrant 'mega-dinghy' in the English Channel after its engine caught fire. France's maritime prefecture of the Channel and North Sea reported that the boat had left for the UK on Monday and attempted the crossing overnight.
The boat's 'integrity deteriorated very rapidly' when the engine caught fire this morning, prompting the deployment of several ships to rescue those on board. By the time the operation concluded earlier today, a total of 157 people had been saved. There have been no reports of any injuries or fatalities.
Rescue operation details
The prefecture said five people had been rescued from the dinghy and taken back to the quay in the French town of Boulogne last night. In a statement, it noted that migrants determined to reach the UK often refused assistance from French resources, accepting help only in 'situations of extreme urgency'.
'Given the structural fragility of the systematically overcrowded boats, the decision was made not to force the migrants to board state rescue vessels, to avoid endangering their lives in the event of a shipwreck,' the statement added.
Political context
The incident occurs amid heightened scrutiny of small boat crossings, following the crisis in the Spanish territory of Ceuta. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp has visited the Channel, while Reform UK announced a plan to deploy Royal Navy vessels to return migrants to France.
Figures released on Sunday showed that more than 2,000 people had arrived in the UK via small boats since Andy Burnham became Prime Minister. Burnham responded by saying his government would be 'relentless' in reducing the numbers.
Provisional figures indicate that small boat arrivals so far total just over 14,500 – down 43% compared to the more than 25,400 who had arrived by this point last year. The PM commented: 'Progress is being made but we're not complacent.'
