Giant migrant dinghy catches fire in the Channel, triggering major rescue
A massive inflatable carrying 173 migrants caught fire in the English Channel on Tuesday morning, forcing a large joint rescue by British and French crews.
A massive inflatable carrying 173 migrants caught fire in the English Channel on Tuesday morning, forcing a large joint rescue by British and French crews. No deaths were reported, but 11 people suffered minor injuries.
The boat, described as the largest small vessel yet to attempt the crossing from France, had set off from the Veules-les-Roses area on Monday night, according to French authorities. Its engine caught fire while it was still in French waters but close to the British line. Then came the scramble.
Joint rescue at sea
French rescue boats, a navy helicopter and medical teams moved in, while British vessels from the Border Security Command and an RNLI lifeboat also joined the operation. The migrants were taken ashore at Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France, including 54 who were brought back on British vessels.
French authorities said they initially chose not to force people onto rescue vessels because they wanted to avoid putting lives at risk. A mayday call had already gone out by then. The helicopter based at Le Touquet backed the operation from above.
Shortly after the fire broke out, the inflatable began to come apart and capsized. People on board jumped into the water. Fast. Very fast.
Record-breaking and risky
The number on board, later revised up from an earlier estimate of 157, surpassed the previous record of 165 migrants who reached the UK in a single boat late last month. That earlier crossing, in a 13-metre vessel, had already drawn attention as a “mega-dinghy”.
The latest incident has now pushed the scale of these crossings into even sharper focus. It was among the biggest rescue operations of its kind since 2018, according to reporting cited by the sources. French prosecutors have opened an investigation, and an Egyptian national has been taken into police custody in connection with the case.
UK officials said all those rescued would be returned to France. Border Security Minister Anna Turley said the episode showed the danger of the crossings and the “ruthless gangs behind them”.
By the time the boats reached Boulogne-sur-Mer, the headcount stood at 173 — a new record for a single small boat attempt across the Channel.
