Fourteen men will go on trial in Paris on Tuesday over the drowning of at least 31 people in the Channel. The incident, which occurred in November 2021, is the worst mass drowning from a small-boat crossing in the narrow seaway separating France and Britain on record. Among the dead or missing was a seven-year-old child.
The defendants, who are believed to be linked to people-smuggling networks, face charges including manslaughter and facilitating illegal immigration as part of an organised criminal group. While at least 31 people are reported dead or missing, 27 deaths have been confirmed from the sinking of the inflatable dinghy.
As the defendants face trial, survivors' testimony and a parallel probe into the French naval response have raised urgent questions about how the waters are policed.