Crime & Justice
French court sentences 13 over deadliest Channel small-boat disaster
September 30, 2026 at 09:04 PM
Coverage
3 reports · over 4 hours
AJAl Jazeera English
French court sentences 13 men over deadliest small-boat crossing to UK
(opens the publisher’s site)
BNBBC News
Six smugglers jailed for manslaughter over worst Channel small boats disaster
(opens the publisher’s site)
TGThe Guardian
French court jails six men for manslaughter over mass drowning in Channel
(opens the publisher’s site)A French court has sentenced 13 men to up to 10 years in prison over the 2021 English Channel crossing in which 31 migrants died.
- Six defendants were found guilty of involuntary homicide and jailed for six to 10 years.
- Seven other men were convicted on lesser charges and sentenced to up to four years in prison.
- The boat capsized in the Channel in November 2021, drowning 31 migrants, mostly Iraqi Kurds; two passengers survived.
- Seven French military personnel are under investigation for allegedly failing to come to the survivors' aid.
- A relative of a victim told the court he relives the tragedy with every report of boats in danger, saying 'destruction is being repeated.'
- One of the men on trial was acquitted of all charges by the Paris court.