English Channel rescue: 140 migrants in large dinghy from Normandy

Approximately 140 migrants were rescued from a single large inflatable vessel, described as a “mega dinghy,” in the English Channel. The boat launched from the Normandy coast near Cherbourg, a distance of roughly 170 to 200 nautical miles from traditional launch sites in Calais and Dunkirk, marking an unusually long crossing.

French coastguard vessels and lifeboats shadowed the craft for approximately 10 hours before it entered UK waters. Once in British territory, the migrants were met by RNLI lifeboats from Bembridge and Yarmouth and are being transported to the Isle of Wight and subsequently to a processing center in Kent.

The incident follows recent discussions between French President Emmanuel Macron and UK officials regarding efforts to scale up measures against small boat crossings. While overall crossing numbers have seen a seasonal decline, authorities note that smugglers are increasingly using larger, more heavily loaded vessels to evade detection following increased policing in the Calais region.