UK sends helicopters to boat in distress at sea

Helicopters and lifeboats were dispatched to the English Channel off the coast of Kent in southern England to rescue a small boat in distress, authorities said Wednesday.

The U.K. Maritime and Coastguard Agency coordinated a rescue operation involving the Royal Navy, border officers, Kent police and the French navy. Thousands of migrants have relied on small boats to cross the Channel in hopes of receiving asylum in the U.K.Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged to clear a backlog of asylum-seeker applications and announced new measures aimed at curbing the number of migrants reaching the U.K. by crossing the Channel.Sunak said he planned to introduce legislation early next year to ensure people who arrive illegally cannot remain in the country.