France takes over probe into Afghan migrant deaths

KABUL (Pajhwok): French prosecutors are probing the deaths of at least six Afghan migrants in a boat sinking incident, says a media report.

Seeking to cross the Channel between France and England, the migrant boat capsized in the wee hours of Saturday.  There were 66 people in the boat bound for England.

AFP quoted France’s junior minister for the sea, Herve Berville, as blaming “criminal traffickers” for the deaths, pledging a crackdown on smuggling networks.

Boulogne channel port prosecutors launched an investigation hours after the incident. However, the probe was soon handed over to Paris.

PAN Monitor/mud