More than 150 migrants were rescued in the early hours of Tuesday after a boat caught fire in the English Channel while attempting to cross from France to Britain.
According to France’s maritime prefecture of the Channel and North Sea, the boat’s engine caught fire and its “condition deteriorated very rapidly”, prompting a large-scale rescue operation by French and British coastguards.
157 People Rescued
A total of 157 people were rescued after the vessel caught fire during the crossing.
Heartwrenching footage captured from a boat shows a massive forest fire engulfing homes along the lake in Vernon, British Columbia, Canada. pic.twitter.com/ou8KhGsxr4
— Weather Monitor (@WeatherMonitors) August 3, 2026
French authorities had already rescued five people from the same boat overnight on Monday. Several vessels had also been deployed to monitor the crossing after the boat departed from near Boulogne-sur-Mer.
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Dangerous Route Across The Channel
The English Channel remains one of the most hazardous migration routes, with authorities closely monitoring such crossings.
According to the Migration Observatory, 162 people died while attempting to cross the Channel in migrant boats between 2018 and 2025.
No Fatalities Reported
There have been no reports of any fatalities in the latest incident, CNN reported.
