Almost 160 people rescued after migrant ‘mega-dinghy’ catches fire in Channel

Craig Munro | Senior Politics Reporter Published August 4, 2026 12:18pm Updated August 4, 2026 12:18pm Migrants walking onshore at Dunkirk after their attempted crossing failed last month (Picture: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire) Almost 160 people have been rescued from a ‘mega-dinghy’ in the English Channel after its engine caught fire. France’s maritime prefecture of the Channel and North Sea said the boat had left for the UK on Monday and attempted the crossing through the night. Its ‘integrity deteriorated very rapidly’ when the engine caught fire this morning, and a number of ships were deployed to rescue the migrants on board. They saved a total of 157 people by the time the operation came to an end earlier today. There have been no reports of anyone injured or killed in the incident. Sign up