Nine people smugglers have been jailed in France for their involvement in a small boat crossing over the English Channel that left four people dead and four others missing.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper praised the “vital role” of the National Crime Agency (NCA) as it worked with French authorities to identify those behind the boat, which got into trouble while carrying 47 people on December 14 2022.
Seven Afghan nationals and two Iraqis were sentenced to a total of 64 years in prison after being found guilty of offences including involuntary manslaughter, endangering lives and facilitating illegal entry at a trial in Lille on Monday, the NCA said.
The Afghan ringleader was handed an eight-year jail term, while the other members of the network received seven-year sentences.
Drones were used during a large overnight search and rescue operation off the Kent coast to scan the water for anyone unaccounted for, with ships also asked to post lookouts.
Four people were confirmed to have died in the incident while another four were never found, with the survivors rescued and brought to shore in Dover.
Then-prime minister Rishi Sunak described the incident as a “tragic loss of human life”.
Interviews were conducted with the survivors as part of the NCA’s investigation, which was aided by Kent Police.
The boat’s pilot, 20-year-old Senegalese national Ibrahima Bah, was jailed for nine-and-a-half years for the manslaughter of the four victims following a trial at Canterbury Crown Court in February last year.
Jurors were told during the trial that the home-built, low-quality inflatable should not have had more than 20 people on board, while many of the passengers did not have life-jackets.
The Home Secretary said: “This horrific case lays bare the ruthless greed of smugglers who gamble with human lives for profit.
“These criminal smuggling gangs showed no regard for safety, dignity, or the law – and now they’re facing the consequences.
“The National Crime Agency played a vital role in helping bring these offenders to justice, and we will keep working relentlessly with them and our French partners to shut down these deadly routes and bring perpetrators to justice.”
NCA deputy director Rick Jones said: “This was a tragic event which sadly demonstrated the extreme danger involved in putting overloaded boats into the sea.
“While our thoughts remain with the loved ones of those who died, I’m glad that those who organised this crossing have now been brought to justice.
“The gangs involved in this type of criminality have no concern for the welfare or safety of those they transport, they’re just in it for the money.
“This is why targeting, disrupting and dismantling these networks is a key priority for the NCA and our partners.”
