A teenager has been charged in connection with a record-breaking Channel crossing involving 165 migrants, according to the National Crime Agency (NCA). Chan Mathok Atak, 19, a Sudanese national, is accused of endangering another person during a sea journey to the UK on Thursday.
Atak is scheduled to appear at Margate Magistrates' Court on Monday. The number of individuals on the vessel surpassed the previous record of 128 migrants who crossed the Channel in July.
Border Security Command officers were observed towing a dinghy estimated to be approximately 13 meters (42 feet) long, similar in size to a standard bus, upon its arrival in Dover, Kent, on Thursday afternoon.
Home Office figures indicate that 366 people arrived in the UK on Thursday, having crossed in three separate boats. This occurred during warm, sunny weather and calm sea conditions. On the preceding Wednesday, 172 people made the same journey across three boats, marking the end of an 11-day pause in crossings attributed to windy conditions in the Channel.
Refugee charity Care4Calais has stated that the crossing route is becoming increasingly perilous due to the rising number of individuals being transported in each boat.