France to try 14 over deadliest Channel migrant disaster

French prosecutors confirmed on Tuesday that 14 people will face trial for their alleged involvement in the November 2021 migrant boat tragedy in the English Channel, the deadliest such incident on record. The overloaded inflatable dinghy, unsuitable for open-sea navigation, sank in the early hours of November 24, 2021. Twenty-seven people, mainly Iraqi Kurds, died, and four remain unaccounted for.

The defendants, most born in Afghanistan and Iraq, are accused of playing various roles in the people-smuggling operation, from drivers to organizers. They face charges of manslaughter and criminal conspiracy. According to the committal order, the investigating judge alleges that the majority participated in launching a low-quality, uncertified boat that was overloaded and lacked proper life jackets. Most defendants deny the charges; some Iraqi Kurdish individuals claim they were migrants, not smugglers. The trial date has not yet been set.

In a related investigation, at least seven French military personnel are under scrutiny for failing to assist people in danger. A UK inquiry in February concluded that some deaths could have been avoided if British and French authorities had responded more quickly to distress calls. The first pleas for help came nearly 12 hours before a French fishing vessel found the boat, by which time most occupants, including seven women and two children, had drowned.

France has long been a departure point for migrants attempting to cross the Channel to Britain. Despite joint efforts by the UK and France to prevent crossings, around 41,000 people made the journey last year, the second-highest annual figure after 46,000 in 2022.