The British government has agreed to launch a full investigation into the drowning of at least 27 people trying to cross the Channel in a small boat last November, reports The Guardian.
The decision by the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, to agree to what is known as an article 2 inquiry – an independent investigation – is revealed in correspondence between his lawyers and eight relatives of 11 of the victims.
Those who drowned included 17 men, seven women – one of whom was pregnant – and three children. The International Organization for Migration has described it as the biggest single loss of life in the Channel since it began keeping records in 2014.
Shapps acknowledged that the current internal investigation into the incident by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) was not sufficient and did not meet the criteria for an article 2 compliant investigation.
These investigations are often wide ranging and can call for evidence from a variety of government and non-government sources.
Lawyers for the bereaved relatives have said “serious failings” in the rescue operation may have contributed to the dozens of deaths in the Channel.
Families of the victims had called for a public inquiry to determine whether acts or omissions of the British agencies involved in the search and rescue mission on 24 November resulted in breaches of the European convention on human rights.
Lawyers say the bereaved relatives have provided substantial evidence that indicates the boat was in British waters before it sank.