UK and French coastguards ‘passed buck’ as 27 people drowned in Channel

Crucial hours wasted debating who should rescue dinghy carrying 34 passengers, ITV documentary reveals

UK and French emergency coastguard services spent crucial hours passing the buck about which of them should rescue a stricken small boat trying to cross the Channel last November, instead of dispatching a crew to save the 34 people onboard, a documentary reveals.

Most of the migrants subsequently drowned in the worst maritime disaster in the Channel for 30 years.

The Crossing airs on Monday 14 November on ITV at 10.45pm.