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A 19-year-old Sudanese teenager, Chan Mathok Atak, has been charged with endangering the lives of 165 migrants during what is believed to be the largest dinghy crossing of the English Channel on record. Atak appeared at Margate Magistrates Court earlier this week, where he denied the accusation of recklessly piloting the overcrowded boat, which left from the French coast last Thursday.
During the hearing, Atak, assisted by an Arabic interpreter, pleaded not guilty to the charge of endangering lives at sea and also denied operating the dinghy. Following the court session, he was remanded in custody and is scheduled to face trial at Canterbury Crown Court on 24 August. Prosecutor Lucie Fish explained that the vessel was a rigid hulled inflatable boat that had set out from France heading towards Dover, carrying the migrants aboard.
Border Force crews intercepted the dinghy mid-crossing, identifying Atak as one of two individuals responsible for navigating the voyage. The boat, described as overcrowded and of poor quality, showed signs of deflation when it was intercepted. Photographs taken by Border Security Command depicted the dinghy being towed into Dover, measuring approximately 13 metres (42 feet) in length, roughly the size of a standard bus.
The court was also informed that French authorities recovered the body of a man with head injuries in the surrounding waters; however, it remains unclear if this death was linked to the record-breaking journey. A spokesperson from the National Crime Agency acknowledged the incident, stating that French partners are conducting the investigation. The offence of endangering lives at sea is a relatively new charge introduced by the government under Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership, targeting individuals suspected of steering small boats across the Channel. Notably, two men were recently sentenced to over two years in prison under this law. Records show the previous highest number of migrants on a single vessel was 128. Although the overall number of Channel arrivals has fallen by about 45% compared to 2025, Home Office data indicates that the number of people per boat has increased
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