UK, French rescuers save more than 170 migrants after Channel boat fire

More than 170 migrants were rescued on August 4, after the small boat they were using to cross the English Channel caught fire, prompting a joint rescue operation by French and British authorities, French officials said.

The vessel, carrying migrants attempting to reach the United Kingdom, left the French coast on the night of August 3, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

According to the French maritime prefecture for the Channel and North Sea, the boat's engine caught fire on the morning of August 4, causing the vessel to rapidly deteriorate.

French authorities said 173 migrants were rescued and taken to Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France. Eleven people sustained minor injuries, and no fatalities were reported.

Officials said five people were initially rescued overnight after requiring assistance, while the remaining passengers declined help from French patrol boats and continued towards the UK.

The maritime prefecture said migrants aboard small boats often refuse rescue assistance while attempting to reach Britain, adding that authorities had initially refrained from intervening because of the structural fragility of such vessels.

After the fire broke out, rescue teams from both France and the UK responded, including two French rescue vessels, the RNLI Eastbourne lifeboat and UK Border Force vessels BSC Contender and BSC Courageous.

French officials said the operation involved 40 firefighters, 13 police officers, seven interpreters and medical personnel.

The UK government said the Border Security Command had been alerted to a migrant boat in distress in French waters and confirmed British vessels assisted in the rescue operation.

Border Security Minister Anna Turley said the incident highlighted "the dangers of these illegal crossings and the ruthless gangs behind them," adding that the government was intensifying efforts against people-smuggling networks.

A UK government spokesperson said the rescue underscored the dangers of small boat crossings and that Britain would continue working with France and international partners to prevent such journeys.

The incident comes amid renewed political debate over illegal migration across the Channel. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said this week his government would remain "relentless" in tackling people-smuggling gangs and reducing small boat crossings, while maintaining the need for safe and legal migration routes.

In April, Britain and France agreed a three-year £662 million ($773 million) cooperation deal aimed at reducing illegal Channel crossings through enhanced policing, surveillance and joint enforcement efforts.

By Aghakazim Guliyev