French authorities have rescued 96 people attempting to cross the English Channel after a dinghy engine failed. The migrant boat was being followed by the French coastguard when the engine broke down and dropped into the water shortly after launch from Le Touquet on Monday morning.
Rescue operation details
A jet ski was then sent to tug the dinghy to shore further down the coast at Boulogne-sur-Mer, leaving around 30 people in the water. Four were saved by helicopter, and another six by lifeboat, with the rest picked up in the rescue boat Minck. The French maritime agency said the rescue involved 96 people in total.
Warning about crossing risks
Warning others against attempting the "dangerous" crossing, statement said: "Determined to reach the United Kingdom, migrants attempting the crossing in precarious boats often refuse assistance offered by French resources, accepting it only in cases of extreme emergency."
"Given the inherent fragility of these systematically overcrowded vessels, the decision is made not to force migrants onto state rescue ships, thus avoiding endangering their lives in the event of a shipwreck."
"The Maritime Prefect for the English Channel and the North Sea warns anyone considering crossing the Channel about the risks involved. This maritime area is one of the busiest in the world, and weather conditions are often harsh (strong winds and currents, numerous sandbanks, and water temperatures that reduce life expectancy to just a few minutes in winter)."
"It is therefore a particularly dangerous area, even when the sea looks calm during the summer season. If you are a victim or witness of a maritime incident, contact the emergency services by telephone by dialling 196 or on channel 16 of your VHF radio."
Context of recent crossings
Earlier this month, a record 230 people made the journey across the English Channel in a single boat. Smuggling gangs appear to have begun attempting to cram more people into larger boats in recent weeks - though the number of people who have crossed so far in 2026 is down over 40% compared to last year, despite favourable weather conditions this summer.
The government has said the fall in numbers is down to its efforts to tackle the human trafficking gangs behind the crossings, in co-operation with neighbours on the continent.
Earlier this month, the Mirror told how young children, including some in pushchairs, were being bussed to board mega-dinghies to get to Britain. Investigators tracked a group of around 50 migrants as they travelled 40 miles south-west from France's largest migrant camp at Loon-Plage near Dunkirk to Ecault Forest, close to Boulogne.
Labour's immigration chief Anna Turley recently voiced her horror after a 50ft boat transported 230 people to the UK. She said: "We cannot become used to seeing that. It cannot be the norm." The Mirror has approached the Home Office for comment.
