An official inquiry finds French & UK coastguard failures contributed to 30+ deaths in the 2021 Channel boat disaster, stating many lives could have been saved.
French Coastguard Ignored Mayday, UK Called Off Search in Deadliest Channel Small Boat Disaster, Report Finds (Image: X)
A damning independent inquiry published Thursday found that more than 30 lives lost in the deadliest English Channel small boat disaster on record could have been saved if French and UK authorities had responded effectively.The review came to the conclusion that institutional flaws, such as a French warship disregarding a Mayday signal and an early cancellation of a UK coastguard search, were directly responsible for the magnitude of the disaster.
The inquiry, led by Sir Ross Cranston, found that failings by both the UK and France contributed to the deaths. It determined that the unsafe vessel provided by people smugglers was the initial cause, but that French maritime authorities failed to respond to a Mayday relay. The UK's HM Coastguard also prematurely called off its search and rescue operation. The French warship Flamant, about 15 minutes from the incident, did not respond to the distress call broadcast at 2:27 a.m. on November 24, 2021.
Sir Ross stated the failure of the Flamant to respond was "striking." He wrote that if it had attended, "many more, and possibly all, lives of those on board would have been saved." The crew denied receiving the Mayday, but HM Coastguard records indicate the ship was communicating on the same VHF channel used for the distress call at the time. The French authorities are investigating this omission.
The UK coastguard mistakenly believed the boat had been rescued after confusing it with another vessel and called off the search. Sir Ross cited a "widely held belief" within HM Coastguard that small-boat migrants exaggerated dangers, leading to an underestimation of the emergency. The coastguard also failed to gather crucial geolocation data sent via WhatsApp by those onboard. A Border Force cutter, HM Valiant, took two hours to arrive and was not told people were in the water.
The overcrowded boat began taking on water four hours into its journey from France. After the last distress call at 3:17 a.m., all occupants were in the Channel within 15 minutes. Expert evidence found many victims lived for several hours after entering the water, with some likely alive until the early afternoon. The UK coastguard only learned the truth when French authorities reported a fishing vessel had discovered bodies at 12:57 p.m.
At least 27 people died, four are missing presumed dead, and two survived. The majority were from the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The dead included:
Survivor Issa Mohamed Omar described holding onto the collapsed boat for about ten hours before being rescued by a French fisherwoman. "The screaming when the boat tipped, and people fell in the water was deafening," he testified. Maryam's father, Noori Mohammedameen Hassan, said, "They were called, but no one went to help my daughter," holding both UK and French authorities responsible.
A: The vessel sank in the early hours of November 24, 2021.
A: At least 27 people died, and four are missing, presumed dead.
A: The inquiry concluded that many, possibly all, lives could have been saved if the French warship Flamant had responded to the Mayday call and if the UK coastguard had continued its search.
A: The omission of the French warship Flamant is under investigation by French authorities.
Disclaimer: This information is based on inputs from news agency reports. TSG does not independently confirm the information provided by the relevant sources.
