France arrests military personnel in connection with tragic sinking of migrant boat

They are accused of ignoring distress calls from victims who tragically died when their boat sank in English Channel while attempting to reach UK in 2021

By Gizem Taskin Nicollet

PARIS (AA) – French police on Thursday took into custody over a dozen people, including several military personnel, in connection with the tragic sinking of a migrant boat in the English Channel in 2021.

The tragic incident occurred on Nov. 24, 2021, in the early morning, when 27 people aged seven to 46 drowned in the English Channel near Calais.

Among the victims, there were six women and one young girl. Four people's bodies have yet to be discovered.

According to the judicial file reviewed and reported by Radio France, the rescue teams were not fully aware of the critical nature of the situation.

The on-duty personnel, according to the investigation, allegedly ignored the distress calls made by irregular migrants.

In an investigation published in 2022, Le Monde revealed that the people in the boat made around 15 calls to the French rescue services.

The investigation revealed that rescue personnel turned over the responsibility to British authorities and did not send any assistance to the drifting migrants.

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