French and British vessels rescue migrants from burning Channel boat near Boulogne-sur-Mer

French and British vessels rescued 157 migrants from a burning boat in the English Channel on Tuesday, authorities in both countries said.
The fire broke out on a small boat carrying migrants near the boundary between French and British waters, forcing its occupants to jump overboard, according to the prefect’s office in France’s Pas-de-Calais region. The boat’s engine had caught fire, and the flames spread to the vessel, French maritime authorities said. No casualties were reported.
French coastguard ships and a British lifeboat responded to the incident, which occurred near the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer. The migrants had departed from the coastal village of Veules-les-Roses in Normandy on Monday, French maritime authorities said. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution charity confirmed a lifeboat launched at 6 a.m. to assist in the operation.
The rescue is one of the largest such operations reported since records began in 2018, according to French authorities. The migrants were taken to Boulogne-sur-Mer, where they were being attended to by officials and aid organizations.
The incident comes as irregular crossings of the English Channel remain a persistent issue. So far this year, 14 people have died attempting the journey, based on official French and British sources. Approximately 14,000 people have reached the U.K. via small boats in 2026, according to data cited by Spanish news agency EFE.
On Monday, U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham vowed his government would be “relentless” in curbing small-boat crossings. Some of the migrants initially refused assistance from French rescue crews before continuing toward Britain, according to Politico.
Follow us for live European news
- 3
- 3
- 2
- 2
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
4 further sources not geolocated
![[lalibre] Près de 160 migrants secourus lors dune tentative de traversée de la Manche #Europe](https://files.mastodon.social/cache/preview_cards/images/202/466/167/original/56ce94df84ae790f.jpg)







