Six men found guilty of manslaughter after 27 migrants died trying to cross Channel
Six men have been found guilty of manslaughter over the worst migrant disaster in the English Channel, which saw 27 deaths.
Back in November 2021, some 27 men, women and children drowned when their dinghy deflated on the perilous journey from France to the UK.
The victims, who were setting off from northern France, were mostly Iraqi Kurds.
The group also included a number of Afghan, Ethiopian, Iranian, Somali, Vietnamese and Egyptian nationals.
The youngest known victim was a seven-year-old girl, officials confirmed.
Authorities said the 15 men, seven women and two teenagers died while another four remain unaccounted for. Just two people survived.
Five years on from the disaster, the six men were convicted of manslaughter at a Paris court, all of whom received sentences from six to 10 years in prison.
Two of the accused were tried in absentia.
The small boat migrants were packed onto the non-certified inflatable, and failed to have sufficient life jackets, the court said.
The dinghy was also deemed unfit for open-sea navigation.
Experts declared the vessel's passengers had "no chance" of handling an emergency while at sea.
After spotting bodies floating in the water, a French fishing vessel raised the alarm to border authorities.
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The defendants were facing a range of charges, including being a part of an organised crime group.
They include alleged organisers, transporters and logistics coordinators linked with people smuggling gangs.
Prosecutors claimed their decisions and actions throughout the period ultimately led to the disaster – although not all were present at the scene.
One of the victims whose body has never been found was Twana Mamand Mohammed.
The 18-year-old from Syria dreamed of moving to the UK to reunite with his sister and play for Manchester City.
An independent inquiry in the UK found the tragedy could have been avoided. However, due to a lack of resources, UK marine rescuers were underfunded and understaffed.
People smugglers overloaded an unsafe vessel, failing to provide adequate safety equipment – including life jackets filled with cotton.
A nearby French naval vessel failed to respond, while search missions were called off too early, the report found.
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