Fourteen men have been tried in Paris for the deaths of more than 30 migrants who drowned while trying to cross the English Channel from France to Britain in November 2021.
The case concerns the deadliest recorded disaster involving small migrant boats in the English Channel. The migrants were traveling in an overloaded inflatable boat that deflated while crossing one of the world’s busiest shipping routes.
French prosecutors allege that the defendants were connected to Afghan and Iraqi-Kurdish smuggling networks that organized crossings from migrant camps around Grande-Synthe and Calais in northern France.
The men face charges including involuntary manslaughter, facilitating illegal immigration as part of an organized criminal group and criminal conspiracy. Two of the defendants are being tried in absentia after evading French authorities.
At least 31 people died or remain missing following the disaster on November 24, 2021. French authorities recovered 27 bodies, while at least four victims were never found.
The victims were mostly Iraqi Kurds, but there were also immigrants from Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran, Somalia and Vietnam. The youngest known victim was a seven-year-old girl.
Only two people survived the sinking.
Investigators said the boat was unfit for travel, lacked sufficient life jackets and was overloaded. Evidence presented in the case includes cell phone records, intercepted communications, surveillance footage and testimonies from survivors and family members.
The disaster has also raised questions about the response of French and British authorities. A British investigation concluded that the deaths could have been avoided and criticized the failure of both countries to adequately respond to distress calls.
According to investigators, the migrants made repeated calls for help when the boat began experiencing difficulties. A French fishing boat later alerted emergency services after spotting bodies in the water near the French coast.
Families of some of the victims have traveled from Iraqi Kurdistan to Paris to attend the proceedings and demand accountability.
Prosecutors argue that the defendants helped create the conditions that led to the deaths, even though some were not physically present when the ship set sail.
The trial is expected to continue until September 30, almost five years after the tragedy.
The case comes amid continuing political tensions in Britain and France over irregular migration across the English Channel, with both governments under pressure to tackle smuggling networks and prevent dangerous crossings by small boats.
WATCH THE BEST VIDEOS FROM Newslodge TV