French prosecutors officially filed charges of involuntary manslaughter against four individuals on Wednesday. These charges stem from the tragic incident involving a migrant boat that capsized in the English Channel over the past weekend, resulting in the deaths of at least six migrants.
An unnamed judicial source, speaking to news agency AFP, disclosed that the four suspects—two Iraqis and two Sudanese—had been apprehended shortly after the boat carrying 65 people overturned in the Channel on Saturday morning.
In addition to the charges of involuntary manslaughter, the suspects are also facing accusations of participating in a criminal conspiracy related to illegal immigration. Furthermore, the Iraqi individuals among the charged are suspected of being connected to a human trafficking network.
The Paris prosecutor’s office has stated that investigators have determined the tragedy was caused by a malfunctioning engine on the vessel and the rough waters of the busy shipping lane. The absence of sufficient life jackets for most of the passengers contributed to the severity of the incident.
According to French authorities, the majority of the vessel’s passengers were of Afghan descent, with some Sudanese individuals and “a few minors” onboard.
The capsized boat was initially discovered by a commercial ship, which promptly alerted the relevant authorities.
Both British and French coast guards launched rescue operations, managing to save a total of 59 people. While it is currently estimated that six individuals lost their lives in the tragedy, the death toll remains provisional.
The French coast guard successfully rescued 38 individuals, while the British coast guard saved 23 others.
This incident, as reported by AFP, ranks among the deadliest tragedies in the English Channel since November 2021, when 27 migrants lost their lives.
The tragedy has reignited discussions and tensions between Britain and France regarding the allocation of responsibility for preventing such disasters.
Official data released last Friday revealed that over 100,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel on small boats from France to southeastern England since recording began in 2018.
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