Paris, France

French prosecutors on Wednesday officially charged four individuals with involuntary manslaughter. They have been charged over the tragic incident in which a migrant boat capsized in the English Channel over the past weekend. The tragedy led to the death of at least six migrants.

Advertisment

Who has been charged?

Talking to news agency AFP, an unnamed judicial source revealed that the suspects who have been charged — two Iraqis and two Sudanese individuals — were detained shortly after the boat which was carrying 65 people capsized in the Channel, early on Saturday.

Along with involuntary slaughter, the suspects face charges of criminal conspiracy for illegal immigration. Furthermore, the charged Iraqi citizens are suspected of being part of a human trafficking network. 

Advertisment

Also read | Six killed, 55 rescued after boat carrying migrants capsizes in Channel

What caused the vessel to sink?

As per the Paris prosecutor's office, investigators have determined that an engine malfunction and the choppy waters of the busy shipping lane led to the tragic incident. The fact that most of the passengers did not have access to life jackets contributed to the tragedy.

Advertisment

French authorities, as per AFP, said that the vessel's passengers were primarily of Afghan descent, along with some Sudanese and "a few minors".

The shipwreck was initially discovered by a commercial vessel, which promptly alerted the relevant authorities.

Both British and French coast guards launched rescue efforts. They could only rescue 59 people. While it is believed that six people lost their lives in the tragedy, the death toll remains provisional. 

Also read | Migrant channel crossings in last 5 years cross 100,000 mark: UK interior ministry data

The French coast guard managed to rescue 38 individuals, while the British coast guard rescued 23 others.

This incident, as per AFP, marks one of the deadliest tragedies in the English Channel since November 2021, when 27 migrants lost their lives. 

The tragedy prompted tensions and discussions between Britain and France about which nation had more responsibility for preventing such disasters. 

Official figures unveiled last Friday revealed that over 100,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel on small boats from France to southeastern England since the numbers started being recorded in 2018.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.