The sinking of migrants in the English Channel on November 24 raises the question of the responsibility of the French and British authorities, accused of passivity by two survivors.
What happened during the deadliest shipwreck in the English Channel? This is the question raised by the testimony of two men who present themselves as survivors of the dramatic accident that cost the lives of 27 people who were trying to reach England on board a makeshift boat, last November 24. As their boat was sinking in the middle of the night, the first tells of having called, with the passengers, emergency numbers, in vain. "We sent our location to the French and they told us we were in British waters," he said.
An investigation is underway
The British rescue services explain that they have received 999 distress calls to which they have responded each time. They explain that they were informed of the situation by the French Navy. "It is obvious that on both sides of the Channel, coordination is total and that there is no ball game," said Captain Eric Lavaud, spokesman for the French Navy. An investigation is underway to determine the truth. For the moment, the only certainty is that the boat sank not far from the borders separating the two countries' maritime waters.