The sources, who asked not to be named, said some of them were appearing before investigating magistrates in Paris with a view to being charged. The exact number of those held was not immediately available.

The sinking of the small boat in the Channel in November 2021 left 27 migrants dead, the worst such disaster in recent times.

The probe in France is focusing on allegations French service personnel on duty in the north of the country failed to respond properly to the distress calls of those on board.

In legal documents seen by AFP, French authorities are accused of ignoring calls made by the stricken migrants for help some 15 times.

Those who died were mainly Iraqi Kurds aged between seven and 46.

Le Monde newspaper in November published revelations based on documents contained in the French legal investigation, saying passengers first contacted France's Channel rescue centre at 1:48 am on November 24 to say their vessel was deflating and its engine had stopped.

They sent their locations via WhatsApp around 15 minutes later.

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