French officials announced that more than 150 migrants were rescued after a boat caught fire in the English Channel.
CNN reported on Tuesday, August 4, that the migrants were attempting to travel to the United Kingdom from the northern coast of France.
Local French officials said the boat had departed from near the city of Boulogne-sur-Mer on Monday night.
According to the report, French rescue teams and the coast guard, which had been monitoring the boat’s movement from the beginning of its journey, dispatched several vessels to carry out a rescue operation after the fire broke out and saved all passengers from the risk of death.
French officials have stressed that illegal crossings of the English Channel remain one of the most dangerous migration routes to Europe, and every year several migrants lose their lives during these sea journeys.
So far, further details about the cause of the fire and the physical condition of those rescued have not been released.
