Channel deaths: government orders inquiry into migrant mass drowning in November 2021

The government has ordered an independent inquiry into a mass migrant drowning in the English Channel, in which at least 27 people died, including a pregnant woman and three children, when an inflatable boat capsized on 24 November 2021, the Transport Secretary announced.

The inquiry would look at the circumstances of the deaths to give victims' families the clarity they deserved, and follows the publication of a report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) which found the boat was “wholly unsuitable and ill-equipped”, as by crowding 33 migrants on to the boat, the people who facilitated the attempted crossing had put the occupants at high risk.

The report also stated that the UK’s search and rescue response to the incident was hampered by the lack of a dedicated aircraft carrying out aerial surveillance over the Dover Strait, and the inquiry will consider what lessons can be learned from the events and, if appropriate, make recommendations to reduce the risk of a similar event occurring, according to the Department for Transport.

The department’s secretary of state, Mark Harper, said: “Today our thoughts are with the families of all those involved in the tragic events of 24 November 2021. I am grateful to the Marine Accident Investigation Branch for their report examining this tragic incident, and the government will carefully consider its findings and recommendations.

“As the report recognises, the operational picture in the Channel has changed significantly since 24 November 2021, and I know that HM Coastguard continuously seeks to learn lessons and improve. The inquiry I have announced today will allow a thorough and independent investigation into the circumstances of the deaths to take place, further to the MAIB’s report, to give the families of the victims the clarity they deserve. I know that the Coastguard will engage fully and openly with it.”

The exact time and location of the partial sinking is unknown but it is the deadliest incident involving migrant crossings in the Channel on record. The MAIB said the occupants of the dinghy were attempting to cross from France to England when the vessel became flooded and partially sank, causing them to enter the water.

At least 27 people lost their lives, two survived and four remain missing. The victims’ bodies were recovered later that day in French waters.

The MAIB stated the only way those onboard could raise the alarm was via mobile phone and there were “multiple boats” attempting to cross the Dover Strait and each made several distress calls. This made it “extremely challenging for HM Coastguard to locate and identify discrete boats”, the investigation found.

At the time of the accident, a number of HM Coastguard “capacity enhancements” had been identified but were not in place, the MAIB said. The report recommended the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and Border Force develop procedures to ensure “effective surveillance” of the Dover Strait is possible when aircraft are unavailable and that the MCA works with the French authorities to agree ways of improving “the transfer of information” between the UK and French coastguard agencies during migrant crossings.

Andrew Moll, chief inspector of marine accidents, said: “This was a tragic accident in which many lives were lost. Our investigation has closely examined the events on the night to understand, as best we can, what went wrong so lessons can be learned to ensure a dreadful night like this is not repeated. The events of November 24 2021 were complex with multiple inflatable boats that were unsuitable and ill-equipped for the journey attempting to cross the Dover Strait to England.”