Man in court over four family members who died making Channel crossing

The fifth family member, a 15-month-old child, is missing at sea.

Four members of a Kurdish-Iranian family, including two young children, drowned on Tuesday morning  (Hengaw Human Rights Organisation)

A man has appeared in court following the sinking of a boat that led to the deaths of at least four migrants.

The 37-year-old Iranian is thought to have been piloting the vessel in the English channel when it capsized earlier this week. 

At least four people - including two children - died when the boat sank trying to reach the UK.

They were all members of the same Kurdish-Iranian family. 

A man has appeared before an investigative judge with a view to being charged with manslaughter, Dunkirk’s public prosecutor, Sebastien Pieve, said on Friday.

Investigations are ongoing. 

Those known to have died in the tragedy are Rasoul Iran-Nejad and his wife Shiva Mohammad Panahi, both 35, along with their children Anita, aged nine, and Armin, aged six.

Their 15-month-old son Artin was also on board and had not been found as of Friday.

Two adults are also believed to still be missing.

More than a dozen are believed to have been rescued after the boat capsized off the coast of Dunkirk on Tuesday.

None on board had been issued with life jackets, it is believed.

Charity bosses said the four deaths in the Channel earlier this week should be a “wake-up” call for those in power, and have called for greater protections for migrants.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said the deaths were "an ultimate tragedy" and one that "could have been avoided".

Additional reporting by Press Association