More than 150 migrants rescued after boat catches fire in English Channel

More than 150 migrants were rescued after a boat caught fire while attempting to cross the English Channel from France to the United Kingdom, French maritime authorities said.

France's maritime prefecture of the Channel and North Sea said the boat's engine caught fire early on Tuesday, causing its "condition deteriorated very rapidly" and triggering a joint rescue operation involving French and British coastguards.

A total of 157 people were rescued while five others had already been taken from the vessel overnight before the fire broke out.

Authorities confirmed there were no reports of any fatalities.

The boat had departed from near Boulogne-sur-Mer on France's northern coast and French authorities had been monitoring its journey because of the risks associated with small boat crossings.

According to the Migration Observatory, 162 people died while attempting to cross the Channel between 2018 and 2025.

The incident comes as irregular Channel crossings remain a major political issue in the UK. Prime Minister Andy Burnham recently pledged his government would be "relentless" in tackling people-smuggling networks while also expanding safe migration routes.

French maritime authorities said migrants attempting the crossing often refuse assistance.

They said people making the journey "routinely refuse assistance offered by French resources, only accepting help when faced with situations of extreme emergency."