Nicole Keeling
The ongoing Cranston Inquiry into the worst Channel crossing disaster in history has uncovered shocking evidence about the systemic failings that caused the deaths of at least 27 people. The tragedy, in November 2021, was when a migrant dinghy capsized on the treacherous journey from France to the UK. The inquiry has concluded that the incident was “entirely predictable” and avoidable, with evidence pointing to a series of failures in the UK’s response.
The boat, estimated to be carrying 33 people—including 13 women and eight children—set out from the French coast late on the evening of November 23, 2021. Within hours, the boat was taking on water, and desperate distress calls were made to UK authorities. One of the calls, made by 16-year-old Mubin Rizghar Hussein, said the boat was sinking and warned that everyone aboard would perish. Tragically, instead of promptly helped, Hussein’s calls were met with indifference. On one occasion, he was even told to stop calling.
The HMC Valiant, the UK Border Force ship which was in UK waters that night, did not depart until 2:22 AM, about an hour after the first distress call was responded to. It arrived at the spot where the last position of the boat had been, without noticing the ship. The worst of all was that the crew inaccurately documented the case as having been cleared up, confusing it with another ship they had assisted earlier during the night. Most of the passengers had already drowned by the time the rescuers reached the scene.
The inquiry has exposed a grim reality: the tragedy was not an unplanned event but one that had been foreseen by officials and experts long before the boat sank. Chronic under-staffing and lack of resources in the UK Coastguard had been reported, but steps were not taken to address the risks. Border Force vessels, which were not designed for search and rescue, were forced to handle incidents like this.
A serious breakdown highlighted by the investigation was poor communication. The French authorities knew the whereabouts of the boat but failed to pass on key tracking information to the UK authorities until hours later. This once more foiled rescue efforts, and by the time the Valiant arrived, the boat had already sunk.
Experts believe that while some of the victims likely drowned very quickly, most died slowly of hypothermia, since the icy waters of the Channel, at a mere 13°C, made survival almost impossible for those clinging to the wreckage. Survivor accounts have described the horror of seeing people go under as the night progressed.
What has become clear in the course of the investigation is that the accident was not just a logistical mishap, but a failure of humanity. With the passing hours, the lack of urgency from UK authorities stranded and left exposed the passengers, and their calls for help were ignored. The survivors, who held on to the wreckage for hours, recall the unthinkable ordeal they had gone through, knowing that many others were already deceased.
The inquiry has also raised questions about the UK’s broader response to migration in the Channel. With the rising number of crossings and growing pressure on the search and rescue operation, experts are calling for urgent reforms. There are calls for a dedicated aircraft to monitor the Channel and for a complete overhaul of how distress calls are handled.
Issa Mohamed Omar, one of the two survivors, recounted how, as the sun rose the next morning, he saw the bodies of 15 victims still clinging to the sunken boat. He’s shared his testimony as part of the inquiry, vowing to be a voice for those who lost their lives that night.
As the inquiry continues, it will examine not only the failings of the rescue operation but also the broader issues at play, including the lack of resources, chronic under-staffing, and the UK’s approach to managing small boat crossings. While the investigation is ongoing, there is a growing sense of urgency about ensuring that no more lives are lost in such a preventable manner.
Further Reading
The Cranston Inquiry | Examining the events of the 2021 Channel crossing tragedy.