David Eden and his father run the Liverpool Bay Fishing Company

The charges were brought a week after three people appeared in court charged over the tragedy in February this year.

David Eden, 61, of Thingwall Road, Irby, Wirral, Merseyside and son David, 33, of Woodchurch Road, Prenton, Wirral are charged with breaching immigration and labour law.

They run Liverpool Bay Fishing Company and are due in court on 14 July.

Although 21 bodies have been recovered it is thought 23 people probably died on 5 February this year, when they were caught on mudflats by a fast-rising tide.

Inquest opened

Of the other three charged, Lin Liang Ren, 27, of Lemon Street, Liverpool, is accused of manslaughter, conspiracy to breach immigration law, and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. He was remanded in custody last week.

Lin Mu Yong, 29, of Crete Towers, Liverpool, is charged with plotting to breach immigration law and was also remanded in custody.

Zhao Qing Xiao, 19, known as Eva and also of Lemon Street, faces the same charge and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. She was granted bail.

An inquest into the deaths of the cocklers was opened and adjourned at Lancaster Magistrates' Court last month.

A list of names of the 21, who were from the Fujian and Liaoning provinces of China, was read out to the court.

The bodies may be sent back to China for burial.