A migrant boat caught fire in the English Channel near Boulogne-sur-Mer, prompting French coastguards to rescue all 173 people aboard, according to the local administration.
Three coastguard vessels took part in the operation, the French authority responsible for the English Channel and North Sea said in a statement.
Thierry Darras, an official with the rescue services, said some of those brought to safety suffered burns, grazes or bruising. None sustained serious injuries, he said.
A British coastguard spokesman said UK vessels and a lifeboat were also assisting after “a vessel caught fire earlier this morning” in French waters.
The rescue came just a week after three people died attempting to cross the Channel in a small boat.
It underscored the mounting risks of the crossings, as human traffickers continue to pack increasingly large numbers of people into fragile, overcrowded vessels.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Sunday that he would be “relentless” in efforts to reduce small-boat arrivals.
The Channel is among the world’s busiest shipping routes, with powerful currents adding to the dangers faced by migrants attempting to travel from France to Britain.
Traffickers commonly overload inflatable dinghies, leaving the boats dangerously close to sinking.
Three coastguard ships rescued those on board
“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,” a British government spokesperson said.
On Monday, the Reform UK party said it would halt asylum seekers’ crossings if elected, describing its proposed response as the largest military operation in the Channel since World War II.
British authorities say 14,526 people have reached the country’s shores after making similar journeys so far this year.
More than 41,000 migrants landed on England’s southern coast last year, the second-highest annual total since 2018.
The British rescue ship BSC Contender took part in the rescue operation
Britain and France signed a so-called “One in, one out” agreement last year, drawing criticism from charities that support migrants.
Under the arrangement, Britain has forcibly returned 1,087 people who arrived in small boats and were deemed ineligible for asylum, while accepting 1,117 other migrants who had applied to enter the United Kingdom legally from France.
Fourteen people have died attempting to cross the Channel so far this year, according to an Agence France-Presse tally compiled from official French and British figures.
At least 29 migrants died during similar attempts last year, according to a comparable AFP count.
