France jails 13 over 2021 Channel sinking that killed 31 migrants

A French court has sentenced 13 people to prison over the sinking of a migrant boat in the English Channel that killed 31 migrants in November 2021.

Six of the defendants were convicted of involuntary manslaughter and received prison terms ranging from six to 10 years. Seven others were given lesser sentences, primarily for aiding illegal residence as part of an organised gang.

One of the 14 defendants tried in the case was cleared of all accusations. The trial began on September 8, with 12 defendants attending proceedings while two remained at large.

Deadly crossing

The boat sank on November 24, 2021, during an attempted crossing from France to the United Kingdom. The 31 people who died were mostly Iraqi Kurds. Only two people survived the shipwreck, and one of them gave evidence during the trial.

The defendants had been accused of arranging the crossing using a vessel considered unfit for open-sea navigation. Prosecutors also alleged that it was overloaded and did not have suitable life jackets.

According to the surviving witness, the same smuggling network had organised a second crossing after an earlier attempt involving 53 other migrants failed. Rescue teams returned those passengers to French shores, the witness said.

The survivor also told investigators that the boat was prepared in a wooded area and launched at about 10 p.m. local time. Four hours after departure, it began to deflate, while its engine stopped, leaving it to drift with the currents. Passengers made repeated attempts to contact French and English emergency services.

Separate military investigation

An investigation remains open into seven French military personnel who were indicted over allegations that they failed to assist people aboard the stricken boat. The supplied information does not indicate the outcome of that inquiry.

The court said the proceedings demonstrated the severe consequences of smuggling methods driven by financial gain and by profiting from the vulnerability of people seeking exile.

Emmanuel Daoud, a lawyer representing victims’ families, said the deaths had brought a judicial consequence for what he described as the trade in human distress and exile.