Nine Men Jailed Over Fatal Channel Crossing That Left Four Dead and Four Missing
Nine men have been jailed for a combined 60 years following a fatal small boat crossing in December 2022 that claimed the lives of four migrants and left another four missing in the English Channel.
The sentencing follows a complex international investigation by France’s OLTIM police agency, working with the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), after a dinghy carrying 47 people capsized during a perilous journey toward Dover.
Seven Afghan nationals and two Iraqis were convicted by a court in Lille, France of involuntary manslaughter, endangering lives, and facilitating illegal entry. The Afghan ringleader was jailed for eight years, with the remaining members receiving seven-year terms. One was tried in absentia after fleeing before trial.
The vessel’s survivors were rescued by a British fishing boat and brought ashore in Dover, but the capsized dinghy was found to have been dangerously overcrowded and lacked adequate life jackets, according to court evidence.
UK Link: Ibrahima Bah Convicted in Landmark Case
Separately, Senegalese national Ibrahima Bah, aged 20, was sentenced to nine years in prison in February 2024 by Canterbury crown-court/" title="Crown Court" rel="nofollow">Crown Court after being found guilty of manslaughter and facilitating illegal immigration. Bah was the first person in England and Wales to be convicted in relation to a small boat crossing where fatalities occurred.
NCA Statement
Rick Jones, deputy director of the NCA, said:
“This was a tragic event which sadly demonstrated the extreme danger involved in putting overloaded boats into the sea.
The gangs involved in this type of criminality have no concern for the safety of those they transport – it’s all about profit.
I’m glad those responsible have now been brought to justice.”
The incident, which drew widespread media coverage and public outcry at the time, highlighted the increasingly deadly risks faced by migrants crossing the Channel and the urgency of international cooperation in tackling smuggling networks.
📞 Anyone with concerns about human trafficking or smuggling is urged to contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.
