UK accused of putting Tamil refugees at risk in Indian Ocean

Diego Garcia, the largest of the Chagos Islands, which the UK calls the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT). Photograph: Reuters

Lawyers have accused the UK of facilitating dangerous onward boat journeys by Tamil refugees who had arrived at the British-claimed territory of Diego Garcia in distress.

Fishing boats that fled Sri Lanka were escorted to the Indian Ocean island after getting into difficulty but the same vessels were later permitted to leave without basic safety equipment, putting passengers – including children – at “grave risk”, lawyers have claimed.