French court jails six men for manslaughter over mass drowning in Channel
Summary
A French court sentenced six men to prison for causing the deaths of at least 27 people who drowned in the Channel in 2021. The men were part of a smuggling group that sent migrants in an unsafe boat from France to Britain. Four other men were convicted of lesser smuggling charges.Key Facts
- At least 27 people died when an inflatable boat sank in the Channel in November 2021; four people are still missing.
- The victims were mainly Iraqi Kurds, with some from Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Iran, Somalia, Vietnam, and Egypt; the youngest known victim was a seven-year-old girl.
- Six men were found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 6 to 10 years in prison.
- Seven other men were convicted of smuggling-related crimes, with sentences ranging from suspended terms to four years in prison.
- The boat was overcrowded, unsafe, uncertified, and lacked lifejackets.
- The journey crossed one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes between northern France and southern England.
- Passengers made about a dozen emergency calls for help, but rescue took almost 12 hours.
- A separate investigation is ongoing into seven French military personnel accused of failing to aid people in danger during the incident.
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