A 19-year-old Sudanese teenager has been charged with piloting a 13-metre dinghy carrying 165 migrants across the English Channel, setting a new record for the number of people on a single vessel.
Chan Mathok Atak, from South Sudan, faces charges of endangering another during a journey between France and the UK. He appeared at Margate Magistrates' Court on Monday and was remanded in custody.
The number of migrants onboard the dinghy broke the previous record set in July, when 128 people crossed from France in one boat. The vessel was estimated to be around the size of a standard bus.
Border Security Response
Border Security Command was pictured towing the boat when it arrived in Dover on Thursday afternoon. The UK Coastguard confirmed that 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.
Home Office figures show that 366 people arrived after crossing in three boats on Thursday, taking advantage of warm, sunny weather and calm sea conditions. On Wednesday, around 172 people made the journey in three boats, ending an 11-day pause linked to wind conditions.
Crossings Under New Prime Minister
The crossings mid-last week mark the first since Andy Burnham became Prime Minister.
Analysis of Government data by the Press Association shows that 77,183 migrants arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel during Sir Keir Starmer's premiership, which began in July 2024. Figures indicate that 13,007 arrivals have been recorded so far this year, a 45% drop on the same period last year and down 18% on the first half of 2024.
