Two teenagers charged with an immigration offence after crossing the English Channel, when five migrants including a child died, have had the cases against them dropped.
Two boys appeared at Sevenoaks Youth Court on Wednesday, where charges of attempting to enter the UK illegally in April were discontinued, court staff told the PA news agency.
They added it was said by the CPS not to be in the public interest to continue with the prosecution.
The move comes after months of delays because of age assessments, after the National Crime Agency (NCA) first arrested and charged the youths, describing them as in their 20s, which was disputed by them in court.
Court documents for Wednesday’s hearing showed the boys, from South Sudan and Sudan, listed as 15 and 16 years old.
A third youth also had the same charge against him dropped at an earlier hearing at Medway Youth Court, on July 31, according to court staff.
A further charge of facilitating illegal entry to the UK was also withdrawn against one of the boys earlier in proceedings.
The NCA previously said it was working with Kent Police, immigration enforcement teams and Border Force to support the French-led investigation into the incident off the northern French coast on April 23.
A dinghy carrying more than 100 people set off from Wimereux at about 6am but got into difficulty.
Three men, a woman and a seven-year-old girl died.
Nearly 50 people were rescued but 58 others refused to leave the boat and continued their journey towards the UK, the French coastguard said, with several other boats later embarking on the crossing.
The CPS has been contacted for comment.