A court in Paris convicted six individuals of involuntary homicide on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, for their roles in a 2021 boat sinking that resulted in the deaths of 31 migrants. The defendants, described as members of Iraqi Kurdish and Afghan smuggling networks, received prison sentences ranging from six to 10 years. The incident remains the deadliest small-boat disaster recorded in the English Channel.
The convictions follow a four-week trial investigating the events of November 24, 2021, when an inflatable dinghy carrying at least 33 people sank after departing from the French coast. Investigators determined the vessel was uncertified, overloaded, and equipped with inadequate life jackets, some of which were reportedly filled with cotton. While two men survived, the victims—including a seven-year-old child—were primarily Iraqi Kurds, along with individuals from Afghanistan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Somalia, Iran, and Vietnam.
In addition to the six manslaughter convictions, the court found seven other defendants guilty of lesser smuggling charges, including criminal conspiracy and facilitating illegal immigration. These individuals received sentences ranging from six months suspended to four years in prison, while one person was acquitted. Two of the convicted men were tried in their absence, including Obaidullah Maroofkhel, the alleged head of the Afghan network who received the maximum 10-year sentence. Because most defendants were not in custody during the trial, the court issued six new arrest warrants following the verdict.
The proceedings also highlight scrutiny of government emergency responses. A British public inquiry previously found the deaths were avoidable, citing inadequate staffing of U.K. marine rescue resources and the failure of a nearby French naval vessel to respond. Currently, a separate investigation is underway involving seven members of the French armed forces—including personnel at a sea rescue center and on a navy ship—to determine if they will face trial for allegedly ignoring distress calls on the night of the sinking. A decision on those recommendations is expected in the coming months.
The conclusion of the trial coincides with the termination of the "one-in one-out" migrant scheme between France and the U.K. The year-long program, which saw approximately 1,000 migrants switch countries, was scrapped after French officials indicated it was not successfully disrupting the business models of smuggling networks. While the Paris court has now issued arrest warrants for those convicted in their absence, the alleged leader of the Iraqi Kurdish network, known as Bashdar, remains in custody in Iraq rather than facing the French court.