Teenager Jailed for Steering Overcrowded Migrant Dinghy Across English Channel
A 19-year-old from South Sudan received a two-year sentence for endangering lives at sea.
A teenager from South Sudan has been sentenced to two years and three months in prison for piloting a rigid inflatable boat carrying a record number of migrants across the English Channel. Chan Atak, 19, pleaded guilty to endangering lives at sea after he was found at the helm of a vessel carrying 165 people from France into British waters on July 23.
The court heard that the boat was overcrowded, unseaworthy, and lacked proper navigation equipment and safety provisions. The vessel's tubing had begun to deflate, and only one of its two outboard engines was working. The passengers included 31 children, the youngest being 14 years old, and the journey reportedly took around 24 hours. The migrants were from various countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Europe.
Her Honour Judge Sarah Counsell stated that those in control of such vessels bear responsibility for the safety of their passengers. She noted that the risks of continuing the journey in an overcrowded and poorly maintained boat were evident, especially without adequate navigation experience. The English Channel is described as one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, and small inflatable vessels are not designed for such voyages.
Atak, who has applied for asylum in the UK after fleeing his home country, claimed he paid 200 euros to a smuggling gang for the crossing but denied steering the boat or having any involvement with its seaworthiness or the number of occupants. His defense argued that he was forcibly recruited by a militia in South Sudan, where he witnessed extreme violence, and subsequently fled through Libya and Italy before reaching France. He sought sanctuary in the UK due to the ongoing conflict and violence in his homeland.
Border Force officials observed Atak operating the engine for approximately 90 minutes before cutting power and removing a distinctive jacket as they approached. Prosecutors suggested this was an attempt to blend in with other migrants and evade detection as the pilot. The 165 migrants on Atak's dinghy represented nearly half of the 366 individuals who made the crossing by small boats on that day. More than 17,000 migrants have arrived illegally via the Channel so far this year.
The length of his sentence means Atak will likely be recommended for deportation, although legal challenges based on human rights and the political instability in South Sudan may arise.