At the end of the operation, 157 people had been rescued and brought to Boulogne-sur-Mer in France.

The Eastbourne lifeboat was launched at 6am today alongside French and British coastguard vessels after the boat's engine caught fire in French waters. File photo.

« Un “small boat” a pris feu à la limite des eaux françaises et britanniques, conduisant ses occupants à se jeter à l’eau » mardi matin, a annoncé la préfecture du Pas-de-Calais,…