No deaths or injuries were reported. Many migrants try to reach Britain in small, often unseaworthy vessels.

No deaths or injuries were reported. Many migrants try to reach Britain in small, often unseaworthy vessels. More than 170 people were rescued on Tuesday after a fire broke out on the small boat they were using to attempt a dangerous crossing from France to Britain, which has become a popular route for migrants from elsewhere and a contentious political issue. The French authorities said all those on the vessel, which had left France on Monday, had been rescued in the English Channel by French and British emergency responders after its motor caught fire. There were no reports of deaths or injuries, and officials said all the migrants had been returned to France. The rescue came at a moment of heightened debate in Britain over migrants’ use of small, often unseaworthy boats to try to reach the country. In Britain and elsewhere, the broader issue of irregular migration has come under new scrutiny since tens of thousands of people entered the Spanish territory of Ceuta from Morocco last week. Dozens died attempting that crossing, and most of those who reached Ceuta stayed only a short time before returning. On Sunday, Britain’s new prime minister, Andy Burnham, visited Dover on the English coast, where he promised to be “relentless” in curbing the number of people coming to Britain in small boats. But he also said his government would help migrants in need, saying he wanted to “deal with the issue rather than play politics with the issue.” “The public don’t like the idea that the border looks like it’s not controlled,” Mr. Burnham said. “We need to bring back that control. But also we need to offer support for people who genuinely need it.” Under Mr. Burnham’s predecessor, Keir Starmer, Britain increased its cooperation with France in efforts to tackle small-boat crossings. That included a pilot program under which a small number of migrants who had crossed the channel would be returned to France, in exchange for the British admitting a similar number of people with strong claims to asylum. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.