A mega-dinghy carrying around 150 migrants caught fire in the English Channel on Tuesday, prompting an urgent rescue operation involving British and French coastguard vessels.
The Eastbourne lifeboat was launched at 6 a.m. local time, alongside French and British coastguard ships, after the boat's engine reportedly caught fire in French waters.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) confirmed the Eastbourne lifeboat's deployment, noting that the operation was being led by the French coastguard. As the incident occurred within French search and rescue waters, any rescued migrants are likely to be returned to France. A UK coastguard spokesman stated that UK vessels and a lifeboat were assisting in the response to the vessel fire.
This incident occurs amidst a backdrop of increased small boat crossings. More than 2,000 migrants have arrived on UK shores in small boats since Prime Minister Andy Burnham took office approximately two weeks ago. On July 23, a record 165 migrants arrived in a single mega-dinghy. The figures show 2,057 arrivals since July 20, with the busiest day of the year occurring last Wednesday when 752 migrants arrived.
The provisional total of asylum seekers arriving by boat this year has reached 14,526. Prime Minister Burnham has stated that the government's strategy to curb Channel crossings is proving effective, with numbers down year-on-year, though he acknowledges further action is needed. In comparison, the period between July 20 and August 2 of the previous year saw only 1,962 recorded crossings.
The average number of people per boat has also risen significantly, from seven in 2018 to approximately 70 last month. In response to these trends, Reform leader Nigel Farage recently proposed "Operation Fortress," which would involve the Royal Navy intercepting vessels carrying migrants and returning them to their departure points. This proposal has faced criticism from the French government, which described it as a violation of French sovereignty and international law.