French and British vessels rescued 157 migrants on Tuesday after their boat caught fire while trying to cross the English Channel, in one of the largest such rescue operations since record-keeping began in 2018. The boat caught fire on the boundary between French and British waters, forcing the occupants to jump overboard, according to the prefect's office in France's Pas-de-Calais region. No casualties were reported, authorities in both countries said. The incident took place on Tuesday morning. The migrants had been attempting to reach Britain when the fire broke out. French and British authorities coordinated the rescue effort, which involved multiple vessels. The scale of the operation highlighted the continuing dangers faced by migrants attempting to cross one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. Since 2018, thousands of people have made the crossing in small boats, often overcrowded and ill-equipped for the journey. Tuesday's rescue was among the largest since records began, officials said.