A major rescue operation took place on Tuesday to assist more than 170 people attempting to cross from France to the United Kingdom, authorities in both countries said. It was one of the largest operations of its kind since records began in 2018.
The inflatable boat was still in the French search and rescue zone when its engine caught fire, causing the vessel to begin breaking apart, the maritime prefecture for the English Channel and the North Sea said. The incident "forced its occupants to jump into the water", the Pas-de-Calais prefecture added.
French authorities then deployed two rescue vessels, a navy helicopter and medical teams. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), a charity specialising in sea rescue, and the UK Border Force also took part in the operation.
No one was killed in the incident. French teams rescued 103 people, while the remaining 54 were rescued by British crews. All were brought ashore at the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer to receive medical care and assistance.
The boat had left the Normandy village of Veules-les-Roses at around 6 am, French authorities and the RNLI said. From the moment it set off, it was monitored by French rescue services.
