The National Crime Agency has said that a teenager charged over a small boat Channel crossing was allegedly piloting a “mega dinghy” carrying a record 165 migrants from France to England.
Record number aboard ‘mega dinghy’
Sudanese national Chan Mathok Atak, 19, is accused of endangering another during a journey by sea to the UK on Thursday. Atak, from South Sudan, has been remanded in custody and will appear at Margate Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
The number of people aboard the vessel broke the previous record set in July when 128 people crossed from France to the UK in one boat. The boat was estimated to be about 13m (42ft) long – the same length as a standard bus. Border Security Command was pictured towing the boat when it arrived in Dover on Thursday afternoon.
Charity warns of increasing danger
Refugee charity Care4Calais said the crossing route is becoming “more and more dangerous” because of the increasing number of people in each boat. Sydney Sopher, the charity’s chief operations officer, said: “The UK and French governments have spent years focusing on border security and enforcement, yet all they’ve achieved is to make Channel crossings more and more dangerous.”
“The data shows that the average number of people crossing on single boats has been increasing year on year, but it could all be stopped overnight by opening safe routes. That the Government continues to ignore the unequivocal evidence that safe routes work is a political choice that prioritises the demonisation of refugees over compassion.”
Channel crossings resume after hiatus
Home Office figures show 366 people arrived after crossing in three boats on Thursday during warm, sunny weather and calm conditions at sea. The UK Coastguard said Border Force vessels, along with a UK Coastguard aeroplane and the RNLI Dungeness lifeboat, responded to “small boats activity” in the Channel on Thursday morning.
Some 172 people made the journey in three boats on Wednesday, bringing an end to an 11-day hiatus when wind swept the Channel.
Press Association analysis of Government data shows 77,183 migrants arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel during Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership from Labour’s election victory in July 2024. According to Home Office figures, 13,007 arrivals have been recorded this year. This is 45% lower than the number recorded by this time last year and down 18% on the same period in 2024.
