Mega-Dinghy ‘Carrying 160 Migrants’ Catches Fire in Channel
4th August 2026
A mega-dinghy believed to be carrying 160 migrants has caught fire during an attempt to cross the Channel.
Search and rescue services were launched at around 6am on Tuesday after the vessel’s engine went up in flames in French waters.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) Eastbourne was deployed alongside both the British and French coastguards as part of a rescue operation to retrieve the migrants and return them to France.
It is understood that up to 160 people were on board the dinghy, it is not yet known whether any of those on board have been injured or killed.
The average number of people per small boat has increased from seven in 2018 to 63 in the year ending this March, and up to 70 last month.