The deaths of at least 31 people in the Channel on November 24 2021 were “avoidable”, an independent inquiry has found. The final report of the Cranston inquiry highlights known problems at HM Coastguard that were not resolved, calling them a “significant, systemic failure on the part of government”, which led to this crossing becoming Britain’s deadliest small boat disaster.
The report points blame at the people smugglers who “provided an unsuitable craft and inadequate safety equipment” for the crossing, as well as the French navy for failing to respond to a mayday alert.
Most of its criticisms, however, were reserved for HM Coastguard’s flawed search and rescue operation and other systemic problems, despite failings attributable to individual officers.
