Investigation launched into UK’s response to migrant boat tragedy

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The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is investigating UK’s emergency response in an incident where four people died when a migrant boat capsized in the Channel. On December 14, a major rescue operation kicked off at the Kent coast at around 2.16am after reports of a boat in distress.

The operation included officials from the Royal Navy, French Navy, Coastguard, RNLI lifeboats, ambulance service and police.

A total of four people were pronounced dead while the officials managed to rescue 39 people safely to the shore.

A spokesperson for the MAIB said: “The MAIB has launched an investigation into the sinking of a migrant boat in UK waters while it was attempting to cross the English Channel on December 14 2022, resulting in four confirmed fatalities.

“The focus of the investigation will be on the UK’s emergency response. The mechanism for the foundering of the small boat will also be explored.”

The death toll in December’s sinking has still not been confirmed because the agency has not yet established the number of passengers in the dinghy when it left France.

19-year-old Ibrahima Bah, of no fixed address, was arrested in connection with the incident.

According to Kent Police, the accused had been charged with knowingly facilitating the attempted arrival in the UK of people he knew or had reasonable cause to believe were asylum seekers.

French coastguard was initially alerted by a charity, after it received a voice note from a worried passenger stating: “We are in a boat, we have a problem. Please help us.

“There are children and families in the boat, water is coming in from the back. We are in the water.”

French authorities said they quickly established that the dinghy was passing into British waters, contacted the Dover Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre and “gave full support and assistance to the British authorities”.

Speaking immediately after the disaster, RNLI official Simon Ling had said lifeboats arrived shortly afterwards but “the fishing boat and the actions of its crew undoubtedly saved countless lives.”

Immediately following the incident, the British government said the UK’s search and rescue operation began at 2.16am but confirmed that the first vessel on the scene was the fishing crew, who arrived shortly after 3am.

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“In the following hours, a total of 43 people were recovered from the water – 39 people were rescued alive but four sadly died,” a statement added.

“Our thoughts are with those affected by this tragic incident and with the families of those who have lost their lives.”

The shocking incident came nearly a year after the deadliest small boat disaster yet claimed at least 27 lives in November 2021.

With recent incidents, the UK government has been accused of putting more lives at risk by failing to set up more safe and legal routes for asylum seekers to reach Britain, following successive years of rising small boat crossings.

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