British police have accused three men of facilitating illegal immigration after five migrants died attempting to cross the English Channel from France to the UK.
The arrests came on Tuesday and Wednesday, a day after the tragic incident that saw five people lose their lives.
According to the National Crime Agency (NCA), the migrants were among 112 people on board a small boat when panic spread shortly before reaching the shore.
The rescued survivors, about 50 in total, were taken to hospital, while the bodies of the deceased were recovered.
The three suspects, two 19-year-olds and a 22-year-old, are believed to have facilitated the illegal crossing.
In response to the incident, the NCA’s Deputy Director of Investigations, Craig Turner, said: “This tragic incident once again demonstrates the threat to life posed by these crossings and brings into focus why it is so important to target the criminal gangs involved in organizing them.”
The NCA is working closely with partners in the UK and France to investigate the incident and bring those responsible to justice.
