Updated

Fourteen defendants have gone on trial in connection with the deadliest disaster involving small boats crossing the English Channel, in which at least 30 men, women, and children drowned when their dinghy capsized on 24 November 2021. The case is a landmark prosecution tied to human trafficking networks facilitating illegal Channel crossings. The trial is expected to shed light on smuggling operations and renew scrutiny of European responses to migrant crossings.