These prison terms were accompanied by individual fines ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 euros and a ban on French territory for each.
Nine Kurdish and Afghan couriers were sentenced this Monday in Lille on Monday to 7 and 8 years in prison for a sinking of migrants in the English Channel in December 2022, which left eight dead.
Three of the defendants, one of which is tried by default, were sentenced to 8 years and the other six to 7 years. The court went a little further than what the prosecution had requested, which had requested sentences between 6 and 8 years in prison. These prison terms were accompanied by individual fines ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 euros and a ban on French territory for each.
The defendants, seven Afghans and two Iraqi Kurds, were tried for “Trade in human beings”, “manslaughter”endangerment of others, or even help with an irregular stay. The Lille Criminal Court said they condemned them taking into account the “Severity of the facts” one you “Particular character” From the context of this sinking, also noting that all defendants had continued their illegal activities after this disaster.
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Between 1,500 and 4000 euros per crossing: the narrative of the sinking that cost eight migrants in the Channel
One of the deadliest shipwrecks
This sinking is one of the deadliest in recent years in the Channel, after the one who had killed 27 dead on November 24, 2021 off Calais, a case that has not yet been tried. Another shipwreck had caused the death of twelve people in September 2024.
The overloaded clandestine boat had taken the sea in Ambleteuse (Pas-de-Calais) on the night of December 13 to 14, 2022, despite a very agitated and icy sea and fears of passengers who heard a detonation, synonymous with puncture, inflating this pneumatic canoe.
