A rigid-hulled inflatable boat acquired by anti-migrant campaigner Daniel Thomas, also known as 'Danny Tommo', has sunk shortly after he began using it to patrol the English Channel. The vessel, named 'The Patriot,' reportedly experienced mechanical failures near the mouth of the River Arun, leading to its submersion in Littlehampton Harbour, West Sussex. Officials were required to retrieve the boat.
Thomas, founder of the group Patriot Platform, described his followers as 'working-class men' involved in recent anti-migrant disturbances in Dover and Portsmouth. His followers contributed to the purchase of the boat, which sank within weeks of its deployment. Thomas later launched a crowdfunding appeal on the website GiveSendGo to salvage the vessel, raising over £20,000. He stated that donations would be used for 'new boats and marine equipment for essential water-based operations,' as well as fuel, accommodation, and storage for the group's assets.
Thomas posted on X (formerly Twitter) in April about having the boat and later suggested left-wing activists might be responsible for sabotage, sharing a video titled 'EMERGENCY: Left Trying To Seize/Destroy Our Boat – Need To Move It ASAP! #ThePatriot'. He indicated he was personally covering £400 of the costs and asked for further assistance, stating, 'This is our boat. Our future. Our resistance.'
Following the sinking, Thomas shared an invoice suggesting he was charged £1,775 by Littlehampton Harbour, which included £738 for a recovery vessel. He later posted a video of the boat on X on August 25, announcing, '"The Patriot" is about to receive a full makeover and will return stronger than ever, ready for the Patriot Platform.' He thanked individuals who were preparing to make the boat seaworthy again.
Daniel Thomas, 37, has a military background, having served as a tank driver in the King's Royal Hussars, though his Army career concluded on medical grounds before active service. He has spoken about a past turning point influenced by his criminal history, leading him to reframe himself as a Christian activist. In 2016, he was sentenced to two years in prison for kidnapping after a home invasion with two accomplices, during which they falsely accused the victim of stealing drugs. Thomas is also known as a long-time associate of far-right campaigner Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.