A trial opened in Paris on Tuesday over the deaths of at least 31 migrants and asylum seekers who perished while attempting to reach the United Kingdom, with 14 men facing charges related to people smuggling. The case involves 114 civil parties, including victims' families, and marks the deadliest disaster on record involving asylum seekers crossing the Channel.

The tragedy occurred on November 24, 2021, when an inflatable dinghy deflated in one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, killing 27 people instantly. Two men survived, and four others remain unaccounted for. The victims, aged between seven and 46, were mostly Iraqi Kurds, but also included nationals from Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Egypt, and Vietnam.

Investigators allege that Afghan and Iraqi Kurdish smuggling networks organized the crossing from camps in northern France. The 14 defendants face charges including manslaughter and "facilitating illegal immigration as part of an organized gang." Only nine suspects were present at the opening of the trial, one of whom is in custody. The proceedings are expected to last three weeks.

Prosecutors accused the defendants of launching a "substandard small boat, uncertified, unfit for navigation on the open sea, overcrowded and lacking appropriate life jackets." Two suspects will be tried in absentia after evading French authorities.

A French fishing vessel alerted authorities after spotting bodies floating in the Channel near the UK, according to court documents. Survivor Issa Omar recounted in a statement read in court: "Around 2:30am, we began bailing water out. But suddenly, the boat capsized."

A UK inquiry published in February concluded that some deaths were avoidable and that a French naval vessel failed to respond to an alert from the UK coastguard. Despite dozens of distress calls to UK and French rescue services, it took nearly 12 hours to locate the boat, raising questions about cross-border rescue coordination.

Source: www.aljazeera.com