London : A man has been arrested in the UK in connection with the deaths of at least 27 people who drowned while trying to cross the English Channel in a dinghy last year.
Harem Ahmed Abwbaker was detained at an address in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire in a dawn raid on Tuesday, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said.
The 32-year-old is accused of being a member of an organised crime gang behind the crossing in November 2021. All but two of the migrants on board died after the boat sank. Four people are still missing.
He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday for extradition to France, where the NCA said he will face charges of the “French equivalent of manslaughter”, and facilitating illegal immigration.
NCA deputy director Craig Turner said: “This is a significant arrest, and comes as part of extensive inquiries into the events leading to these tragic deaths in the Channel.
