Horror in the Channel: cruel mystery of the missing small boats migrants

For the first time, an investigation for The Independent hears from the loved ones of those who went missing on small boats in the Channel in three separate incidents in November 2021 and who are still seeking justice, writes Nicola Kelly

Twana (left) and Zanyar tried to cross the Channel in November 2021 and haven’t been seen since (Getty/Supplied)

Every night for the last 18 months, Mustafa Mina has woken suddenly, convinced he can hear a knock at the door, or a phone call coming in from his son, who is still missing after he boarded a dinghy in northern France bound for the UK.

“We need a graveyard to visit, a body to come home, anything,” said Mustafa, his eyes filling with tears, his grief still raw. “We don’t know if he is under a rock in the sea, or buried beneath the sand. Maybe he is alive. We just need answers.”

At around midnight on 24 November 2021, his 20-year-old son Zanyar messaged him to say that he was under the control of a smuggler, and that he would attempt, for the ninth time, to cross the Channel.

“He asked me not to tell his mother – she would be too upset to sleep,” Mustafa said by videolink from Iraqi Kurdistan. “He said ‘Once I reach the UK, you can let her know.’’’

The next day, Mustafa spoke to the smuggler on the phone, who confirmed Zanyar’s safe arrival and requested payment for the Channel crossing. His wife went out to tell the neighbours in their close-knit community, buying sweets for the village to celebrate.

When they heard about the incident in the Channel, Mustafa said it was “every parent’s worst nightmare”.

“The pain, it is indescribable,” he said. “We are from Iraq – there are families here whose loved ones have been missing for 30 years, who are still waiting for them to turn up, but it is different when it happens to you. We just need answers.”

The incident on 24 November 2021 was the worst maritime incident to have taken place in the Channel for more than 30 years. Twenty-seven people are known to have died, with five still missing and two survivors.

“It is almost impossible to describe the impact not knowing has on you,” said Zana Mohammed, whose brother Twana, also from Iraqi Kurdistan, went missing in the shipwreck. “If anyone has any information – it could be a fisherman, anyone, even a piece of his body, anything that will help us to find some relief. Dead or alive, we need to find out either way, to find peace.”

Migrants rescued from small boats in the English Channel are brought to Dover (PA)

It was initially believed by officials that the tragedy occurred in French waters due to where the bodies and survivors were found, but call records and coordinates released later as part of a French investigation confirmed that the boat crossed into British waters at around 2.30am.

While the Conservative Party has consistently said it is focused on stopping the boats, the opposition has called for safe and legal routes to be established. Stephen Kinnock, shadow immigration minister, said the case for a full public inquiry into the mass drownings on 24 November 2021 was “compelling” and called on the government to launch a “fully independent and transparent investigation”.

Mustafa, Zana and three other families, whose loved ones also went missing that night, have taken legal action against the French authorities which lawyers say is “progressing as expected, with arrests made”.

By contrast, an investigation launched on the UK side, led by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), an independent body that works closely with HM Coastguard, is “thoroughly ineffective and inadequate”, said Maria Thomas, the lawyer representing the families of the victims.

“Whatever the outcome of the investigation, which we won’t know until the final report comes out, it will not be adequate,” said Thomas. “We don’t know who the MAIB has spoken to. It has all been conducted behind closed doors. It is beyond comprehension that there has been loss of life on this scale and that there’s even a question mark over whether a full public, statutory inquiry will be launched.”

Twana, from Iraqi Kurdistan, went missing in the shipwreck in November 2021 (Supplied)

A consultation period, during which the next of kin were invited to contribute, ended last week. The MAIB’s final report is due to be delivered by the end of the summer. This follows a two-page interim report, published in November 2022, when copy-and-paste letters were sent via WhatsApp to the family members, without mentioning the name of their loved one or addressing them personally.

The next-of-kin say they feel badly let down by the UK authorities and are calling for a full inquiry into what happened.

“We think the MAIB need to step up and say ‘This person neglected their responsibility,’” said Zana. “We believe the evidence is there: the boat was in British waters. The technology does not lie.’’

“The boat was in UK waters, so we need to hold the UK authorities accountable,” Mustafa said. “They had a duty of care and they neglected their responsibilities. That is a breach of international law.”

Family members are also seeking information regarding an ongoing criminal investigation, led by the National Crime Agency, into the smuggler known to have orchestrated the Channel crossing in which their loved ones went missing.

“We know that the smuggler was arrested but we do not know whether he has faced justice, or whether any charges have been brought against him. We have been asked for no information for this criminal investigation and we have had no updates,” Mustafa said.

Zanyar, who went missing in 2021, was trying to cross the Channel for the ninth time (Supplied)

In another incident on 11 November 2021, five men from South Sudan attempted to cross the Channel by kayak. A storm caused the vessel to capsize several times, with two men narrowly surviving the incident. One man, William Nyuon Gai, jumped into the water to steady the boat and has not been seen since.

“When you don’t have the evidence of a body of the dead, you cannot organise a funeral. You are just waiting, waiting. If we could see his body, at least we could understand that he is no longer on this earth,’’ said Jacob Juma Bol Ley, William’s nephew.

Just a week before, on 4 November 2021, a man attempted to cross the Channel on with his cousin, 17-year-old Haftom. When the boat overturned and a man fell into the water, Haftom tried to pull him back onboard but fell in himself. Aman has been left traumatised and is still seeking answers about what happened to his cousin.

A Belgian woman who hosted the two young men before they travelled to northern France and on to the UK said: “It feels like for Aman, his body just couldn’t keep up. From time to time, he sends me videos on TikTok, where he believes he can see Haftom. The fact that Haftom disappeared still leaves a doubt in his mind. The worst part is they are not investigating, and we have no news that they will open an investigation.”

“It’s vital to get all the facts out in the open so that we can learn lessons and prevent any further incidents of this kind,” said Stephen Kinnock. “The case for a full public inquiry is compelling. At the very least the government should commit to a fully independent and transparent investigation to help find the answers families and loved ones are seeking.”

Haftom disappeared aged 17 in 2021 when he tried to help another passenger back into their boat (Valentina Camu)

Alex Fraser, the British Red Cross’s UK director for refugee support and restoring family links, said: “Red Cross teams work tirelessly to reunite families who become separated while trying to reach safety and help people find missing relatives. We urge the UK government to work with other countries to create more accessible safe routes that will allow people to claim asylum without risking their lives.”

A spokesperson for the Marine Accident Investigation Branch said: “This was a dreadful accident in which many people lost their lives. The MAIB’s independent investigation is in the process of examining the UK’s emergency response once it becomes apparent that migrant boats might be in distress in UK waters.

“Our investigation will seek to ensure that safety lessons are identified and recommendations made to reduce the chances of such a tragedy occurring in the future. The investigation is complete and we have finished a period of consultation with stakeholders about its findings. Once we have reviewed and assimilated the feedback given during consultation, the report will be prepared for publication.”

Additional reporting from Simon Mauvieux, Maia Courtois and Mael Galisson. Photos by Valentina Camu

This article was developed with the support of Journalismfund Europe