A 19-year-old named Ibrahima Bah appeared in court on Thursday (13), facing manslaughter charges for the deaths of four individuals who died while attempting to cross the Channel to the UK in a small inflatable boat.
Bah, who was already facing charges for facilitating illegal entry into the UK, has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear for a further hearing on May 15.
The charges against him stem from the tragic incident in December of last year when a packed migrant boat capsized in freezing conditions.
Following the incident, 39 individuals were rescued and brought to safety, but tragically, four others were pronounced dead.
The victims’ identities are still unknown, although it has been suggested at a coroner’s inquest that they may have been from Afghanistan and Senegal.
This incident comes just over a year after a similar tragedy occurred in the Channel, where at least 27 individuals lost their lives while attempting to reach the UK from northern France.
Last year saw a record-breaking number of over 45,000 migrants attempting the hazardous crossing to the UK.
Following the country’s exit from the European Union, the UK government has pledged to strengthen its borders.
(With inputs from AFP)
