A Sudanese man has been charged with endangering life after four people died attempting to cross the English Channel in a small boat on Thursday. Alnour Mohamed Ali, 27, is accused of piloting the vessel from France to the UK.
The victims, two men and two women, died while trying to board the boat, according to the National Crime Agency (NCA). Following the incident, 38 people were returned to France, while 74 others continued their journey to the UK.
The NCA said the operation used a “taxi boat” smuggling tactic, where small vessels wait at pre-designated beaches and passengers wade into the water to climb aboard, a method designed to evade detection by French police.
Ali faces a charge of endangering another during a journey by sea to the UK, a new offence introduced under border security legislation earlier this year. The offence is aimed at preventing people from cramming into unsafe boats and also covers physical aggression, intimidation, and resisting rescue.
He is due to appear at Folkestone Magistrates Court on Saturday. François-Xavier Lauch, the prefect of Pas-de-Calais, said the victims were “already quite far into the sea” when they died, adding that dangerous currents had swept them away. The NCA is assisting French authorities with their investigation.
Home Office figures show that more than 5,000 people have arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel so far this year. Migrant charities have reiterated calls for safe and legal routes for asylum seekers, while the Conservatives have accused Labour of being “weak” in tackling crossings.
