Thirty-three migrants were on board the overcrowded small boat when it sank in the English Channel during the night of 23 to 24 November 2021 while attempting to reach the United Kingdom. Twenty-seven people were confirmed to have drowned, while four others remain missing. Only two people survived.

The investigation uncovered two structured migrant smuggling networks which worked together to organise the crossing. The smugglers were involved at different stages of the operation, including procuring and launching the boat, recruiting migrants, transporting them to the departure point and assisting with the launch. Some members of the networks continued their criminal activities until June 2022. The migrant smuggling network charged approximately EUR 3 000 per person for the dangerous journey across the English Channel.

The boat used for the crossing was unsuitable for open-sea navigation and was overloaded with 33 people. According to the court, it was crudely constructed and lacked adequate life-saving equipment, while its engine ultimately failed. The court found that the smugglers involved in organising the crossing had created the conditions that led to the deaths of 31 people and exposed the two survivors to an imminent risk of death or serious injury. The victims came from several countries, including Egypt, Iran, Sudan, Ethiopia and Vietnam.

The investigation into the migrant smuggling network was led by the French authorities, with close cooperation from the United Kingdom. Given the cross-border nature of the investigation, Eurojust set up a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) between the French and UK authorities, enabling investigators and prosecutors to work closely together and exchange information and evidence. Several coordination meetings were also held at Eurojust to facilitate judicial cooperation between the authorities and coordinate the investigation.

In November 2022 one of the suspected ringleaders of the migrant smuggling network was arrested in the UK and extradited to France in July 2023 to face charges including manslaughter, human trafficking and organised crime offences.

On 30 September 2026, the Tribunal Judiciaire de Paris convicted this ringleader and five other members of the migrant smuggling network of manslaughter in connection with the fatal crossing. He was sentenced to eight years in prison, while the other five received prison sentences ranging from six to ten years.

A further seven people were convicted of offences linked to the crossing, including facilitating illegal immigration and participation in an organised criminal group. They received sentences ranging from a six-month suspended sentence to four years in prison.

The successful outcome of the investigation demonstrates the importance of close international judicial cooperation in tackling migrant smuggling networks operating across borders. Joint investigation teams enable authorities from different countries to work together directly, exchange information and evidence and coordinate investigative measures.

The following authorities were involved in the investigation:

• France:  Maritime Research Section of the French National Gendarmerie (SR Mar); Central Office Against Illegal Immigration (OLTIM); National Public Prosecution Office against Organised Crime (PNACO);
• United Kingdom: Serious Economic and Organised Crime Division or SEOCID of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS); National Crime Agency (NCA)