Over 150 migrants were rescued after the boat they were using to cross the channel caught fire. According to the French Channel and English Channel prefecture, the vessel was en route to the United Kingdom when its engine ignited. Reports indicate that 157 individuals were rescued and are currently being transported to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer.
This incident occurs just one day after Chief Minister Andy Burnham stated that his government would adopt an “unsparing” approach to curbing the number of people arriving in the United Kingdom via small boats. French authorities confirmed that the boat departed from France on Monday evening. They reported that during the night, “five people on board requested rescue assistance…
the remaining people on board refused the assistance offered by French patrol boats.” The rescue operation was necessitated by the fire aboard the vessel carrying the migrants. The prefecture confirmed the rescue efforts were coordinated following the incident in the channel. The rescued individuals are now under the care of authorities at the designated port.
The incident highlights ongoing concerns regarding irregular crossings in the English channel.
Topics: #channel #fire #migrants
