An overcrowded mega-dinghy carrying 157 migrants caught fire in the English Channel today, forcing all those on board to jump into the sea.
Rescue efforts began at around 6am after the inflatable’s engine burst into flames shortly after leaving a beach near Boulogne-sur-Mer.
Two British Border Security Command boats and an RNLI lifeboat deployed to assist the rescue operation, which was led by the French.
Some 54 of the migrants were taken to France aboard the British vessels, while the rest were picked up by the French. There have been no reported fatalities although some of the passengers suffered minor burns.
A UK coastguard spokesman said: ‘A vessel caught fire earlier this morning whilst in the French search and rescue region. UK vessels and a lifeboat are assisting.’ An RNLI spokesman said: ‘Eastbourne’s all-weather lifeboat launched at 6am.’
The stricken vessel was being tracked by British and French rescue boats when it caught fire, according to France’s Maritime Prefecture.
French officials have a controversial policy of not intercepting small boats at sea because they claim it could risk the lives of those onboard, though they can carry out rescues.
It comes a day after Reform UK proposed using the Royal Navy to return migrants to France or Belgium under a plan called ‘Operation Fortress’.
Responding to the incident, party leader Nigel Farage said: ‘We must put a stop to this. Our plan will save lives.’
Richard Tice, his deputy, said: ‘Being rescued and returned to France – let’s hope all safe. Just like Reform policy: rescue and return. It’s the humanitarian thing to do. We must stop people dying.’
More than 2,000 migrants have arrived on UK shores in small boat crossings since Andy Burnham became Prime Minister just over a fortnight ago. The new PM, who only entered office on 20 July, is taking a break from his day-to-day duties to travel abroad with his family for a long-planned trip.
Some 54 of the migrants – pictured – were taken to France aboard the British vessels, while the rest were picked up by the French
The group at the Port de Commerce in Boulogne-sur-Mer, northern France, after the rescue mission
Migrants disembark from the French rescue ship Argonaute following their rescue at sea after their boat caught fire
In a translated statement about today’s incident, the Maritime Prefecture said the decision was initially made not to force the migrants to board rescue vessels to ‘avoid endangering their lives’.
‘Five people had initially asked to get off, because the boat was in such a bad way,’ a spokesman said. ‘The rest told rescuers they wanted to continue, and this was permitted. Then, later in the morning, the engine caught fire.’
It was then that everybody jumped into the water and the boat capsized, the spokesman added.
By 1pm in France, it appeared that all 157 people on board had been brought to safety. Most had been wearing life jackets. Some of those returned to France were suffering from burns.
The number of people on the boat – which left the beach at Veules-les-Roses, near Dieppe, last night – makes it one of the biggest ever to attempt to cross the Channel.
A record 165 migrants crossed in a single vessel last month in a 13m (42ft) boat dubbed a ‘mega dinghy’ by the media. The previous record, set on July 10, was 128.
Today’s fire is believed to have been caused by a fuel leak.
The migrants aboard the boat had paid people smugglers up to £1,000 each for the journey, a French emergency services source was quoted as saying.
A UK Government spokesman said: ‘This morning, the Border Security Command was alerted to an incident in the Channel concerning a migrant small boat in distress in French waters.
‘British vessels supported a French search and rescue operation. This is a live rescue operation but at this stage there have been no fatalities reported. Those on board will be safely returned to France.
‘This incident underlines the terrible dangers of small boat crossings. We continue to work relentlessly with the French and our partners overseas to prevent these perilous journeys.’
At least 14 UK-bound migrants have died in the Channel this year, either by drowning or through suffocation aboard overcrowded small boats.
All 157 people on board were brought to safety
Migrants disembark in Boulogne-sur-Mer from French rescue ship Argonaute
Tents had been set up at the dock to check migrants coming off the boat
There was a heavy emergency services presence at Boulogne-sur-Mer during the operation
The worst tragedy of this kind came in November 2021, when 27 migrants died after a dinghy sank while heading to the UK, the deadliest single Channel crossing incident on record.
Last Wednesday marked the busiest day for small boat crossings in the English Channel so far this year, with 752 migrants arriving in the UK.
But the number of overall arrivals for 2026 has dropped since last year.
The provisional total for the year is 14,526, 43 per cent lower than the number recorded by this time last year (25,436) and down 14 per cent on the same period in 2024 (16,903).
Under Reform’s ‘rescue and return’ proposal, the Royal Navy would intercept every vessel carrying illegal migrants to the UK and return all those on board to their country of departure.
The plan was heavily criticised by the French government, which declared it a ‘violation of French sovereignty’ and international law.
A spokesman for the French interior ministry said in a statement: ‘This would be a violation of French sovereignty as well as a violation of maritime law and international law.
‘Separately, as part of the measures put in place with the UK and the arrangements deployed at the local level, the interior ministry states that the number of crossings is down in 2026.’
In response, a Reform spokesman said: ‘We will always stand up for British interests and protect our people, whether Emmanuel Macron likes it or not.
‘Humanitarian missions do not violate maritime or international law.’
A total of 165 migrants crossed the Channel to the UK in a single mega-dinghy on July 23 – the highest on record
Nigel Farage today claimed that Reform’s proposal to use the navy to stop migrant crossings would ‘save lives’. The Tories said the plan had been ‘written on the back of a fag packet’
Asked about Reform’s proposal, Mr Burnham’s official spokesman said: ‘The Royal Navy had primacy for small boat crossings under the previous government in 2022. I’d remind you there was no reduction in small boat crossings in that period.
‘The Royal Navy is already tackling many threats, including monitoring any Russian warships operating near our shores, protecting our waters and our critical national infrastructure.
‘Border patrol officers have significant capabilities and skills that make them the best suited candidate to lead small boats operations in the Channel.
‘That’s why we’re driving down the number of crossings. It’s why they’re down almost 50 per cent compared to last year, and why almost 60 per cent of attempted crossings have been stopped since this Government came to power.’
Tory shadow home secretary Chris Philp accused Reform of putting forward ‘slogans and policies written on the back of a fag packet but no credibility behind it – they can’t answer basic questions like how they would properly fund the military’.
He added: ‘They haven’t even got a defence spokesman and they can’t answer basic questions like what they would do if the French refuse to allow the illegal immigrants to be disembarked back in France.’
Mr Philp said the Conservatives ‘would deport these illegal immigrants back to their country of origin, and if that’s not possible, a safe third country like Rwanda’.
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