Five French soldiers have been charged with failing to assist 27 people who drowned trying to cross the Channel in the worst small boats disaster on record. A judicial source said nine people in total had been placed in custody over the tragedy and five were formally charged. The AFP news agency reported that those charged included three women and two men on duty at the Channel rescue centre at the time. The disaster sparked a row between the UK and France as each side tried to blame the other for failing to rescue the deceased. It took the UK and French coastguards 12 hours to respond following the first Mayday call. Call records released to lawyers by the French authorities as part of an investigation into the disaster found that the first distress call to the French coastguard was logged shortly before 2.15am on 21 November 2021. The boat overturned at around 3.15am. Shortly afterward, at 3.30am, a passenger reported that some of the group, mostly Iraqui kurds, were in the water. The French authorities replied: “Yes, but you are in English waters, Sir.” Those on board made more than 20 distress calls between 3.40am and 7.30am at sunrise. At around 2.00pm the rescue services arrived at the scene and all but two of the group had drowned or died of exposure. Throughout the course of the night the UK coastguard, responsible for logging emergency calls and coordinating search and rescue missions in the Channel, continued to deny that the dinghy was in British waters, repeatedly telling the passengers to call the French coastguard. The records from France suggest that the boat entered British waters at 2.30am. The charges were welcomed by a spokesperson for Utopia 56, an organisation representing the migrants. "We can only be delighted that things are progressing from a criminal point of view," said Flore Judet. According to AFP those in custody were from the French rescue service Cross Gris Nez, in charge of rescues in the Channel. Cross Gris Nez declined to comment. The Paris court in charge of the investigation was not immediately available for comment. Read More Migration by numbers: What’s really driving the surge in people coming to the UK? Immigration is a great British success story – politicians should tell the truth about it Scarred by war, Ukrainian children carry on after losing parents, homes and innocence Asylum backlog at record high as charities brand human cost of delays staggering Labour leads Tories in poll on immigration as figures set to show migration rise Starmer would stop lower wages for overseas workers used to fill UK jobs

Sources say Diesel has been vocal within his inner circle about Momoa's alleged 'scene-stealing' and 'over-acting'

Even as Ukrainian cities experience barrage after barrage of Russian strikes, Ukraine's Offensive Guard have remained unfazed, simulating scenarios they expect to find once Kyiv finally launches its much anticipated counteroffensive.

Lindsay Lohan's personal struggles eclipsed her professional achievements despite Hollywood success

The UK welcomes their release after they were held for allegedly breaking the country's laws.

Asian equities look set for mixed start Wednesday while US contracts posted muted gains after leaders in Washington

A Detroit-area community has banned LGBTQ+ flags from publicly owned flagpoles

Oscar Azevedo, Martin's close friend and airport manager, said Martin took the 'routine flight' inside his 2005 experimental aircraft

Kim Jong Un met Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu in Pyongyang ahead of a key Korean War anniversary, state media said Thursday, the North Korean leader's first known foreign guest...

Scottie Scheffler is part of a three-way tie for the lead going into the weekend at the PGA Championship

The charity declares its support for its boss and appeals to President Nicolas Maduro's government.

Ozempic, originally a medication for treating diabetes, is in high demand worldwide with celebrities and social media users touting it as a miracle drug for weight loss. Now the frenzy is sweeping through China, where being "wafer thin" is a prevailing beauty standard, leading to shortages in the country.