At the Inquiry’s Opening Hearing on 6 March 2024, the Chair, Sir Ross Cranston, explained how he intended to fulfil the Inquiry’s Terms of Reference and outlined the various stages of work which would be undertaken in the weeks and months ahead.
Over the last five months, the Inquiry team, under Sir Ross’ leadership, have made significant progress with that work.
Following on from its Initial Procedural Protocol of February 2024, the Inquiry has published a complete set of procedural protocols, dealing with every stage of its process, up to and including the Full Hearings.
On 17 June 2024, the Inquiry issued its List of Issues, following consultation with Full Participants. This document shows the detailed focus of the Inquiry’s investigative work and will be kept under review as the Inquiry continues.
In order to understand the context of the events which the Inquiry is considering, Sir Ross and members of the Inquiry team have undertaken a number of site visits: to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on 29 February (in Fareham) and 14May (in Dover and Lydd), to Border Force on 22 April 2024 (in Dover and Ramsgate), and to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution on 12 April (in Poole) and 16 July (in Dungeness).
At the end of June 2024, the Chair held initial, informal meetings with one of the survivors of the incident and with family members of some of the victims, who are represented by Duncan Lewis, solicitors. The meetings involved video-links to France, Iraqi Kurdistan, Ethiopia and Somalia.
The Inquiry has received a very substantial amount of material, by way of disclosure, from Full Participants and others. The Inquiry team has reviewed and analysed that material and assessed its relevance. Where appropriate, further disclosure has been sought from material providers and further sources of material have been identified. This process is continuing and the Inquiry expects to receive further material in the near future.
The Inquiry team is now considering what material ought to be disclosed to Full Participants, in accordance with its Disclosure and Redaction Protocols. It is anticipated that the relevant processes will begin at the end of the summer.
At the end of July 2024, the Inquiry issued its initial requests for witness evidence to Full Participants and others. These requests seek evidence from organisations and also from individuals involved in the incident. The Inquiry team will consider the draft statements produced in response to these requests as part of its planning work for the Full Hearings.