Channel migrant deaths: Ibrahima Bah accused of piloting sinking boat

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Ibrahima Bah
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Ibrahima Bah is due to appear at Canterbury Crown Court on 16 January

A man has appeared in court accused of piloting a migrant boat that got into difficulty in the Channel last Wednesday, claiming four lives.

Ibrahima Bah, 19, pleaded not guilty to facilitating attempted illegal entry to the UK at Folkestone Magistrates' Court.

He was remanded in custody to appear at Canterbury Crown Court on 16 January.

The court heard there were between 43 and 48 other people on board the boat, and none had visas to enter the UK.

The Crown Prosecution Service had authorised a charge against Mr Bah, of no fixed address, of knowingly facilitating the attempted arrival in the UK of people he knew or had reasonable cause to believe were asylum seekers.

A major rescue operation took place off the Kent coast shortly after 02:00 GMT on 14 December after reports of a boat in distress, with the Royal Navy, French Navy, Coastguard, RNLI lifeboats, ambulance service and police involved.

Four people - including a teenager - were pronounced dead. The rest were brought safely ashore.

The circumstances surrounding the deaths are being investigated by detectives from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, assisted by the National Crime Agency.

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