French court sentences 13 men over deadliest small-boat crossing to UK

A French court has sentenced 13 men to up to 10 years in prison for their roles in the deadliest small-boat crossing by migrants trying to reach the United Kingdom from France.

The court in Paris found six of the men guilty of involuntary homicide on Wednesday, handing down prison terms of between six and 10 years. Prosecutors said they organised the crossing of a small boat that was unfit for navigation on the open sea, was overloaded with 31 passengers and lacked appropriate life jackets.

The remaining seven men were found guilty of lesser criminal charges and were sentenced to up to four years in jail. There were 14 defendants on trial, one of whom was acquitted.

The court said the smugglers were driven by greed and were “profiting from the vulnerability of exile candidates”.

“When it costs the lives of 31 people and the sea becomes a cemetery, there is a price, and the court said that the price they had to pay was justice and prison time,” said Emmanuel Daoud, a lawyer for victims’ families.

The migrants, mostly Iraqi Kurds, drowned after the UK-bound small boat carrying them from northern France capsized in the English Channel in November 2021. Four of the bodies were never found, while two men survived.

Seven military personnel are still being investigated for allegedly failing to help the survivors. They all deny any wrongdoing.

The sentencing of the 13 men comes as France and the UK end their pilot scheme that allowed Britain to return migrants from France deemed not to have the legal right to remain in the country.

In return, the UK accepted an equivalent number of migrants whose asylum claims were likely to be granted.

The scheme was due to expire on Thursday. However, unverified reports say the UK government wanted the programme to continue.

The UK Interior Ministry confirmed earlier on Wednesday that new applications were no longer being accepted.