Two men have been jailed for piloting overcrowded small boats carrying migrants across the English Channel, the UK Home Office confirmed Friday. The sentences bring to 10 the total number of individuals convicted under a law targeting those who risk others' safety while piloting small boats since its enactment in January.
Omar Heidari, a 34-year-old Afghan national, received a two-year sentence for steering a dinghy carrying 95 people to the UK in June. The Home Office stated Heidari endangered the largest number of lives among those sentenced for the offense to date. The vessel was overcrowded, with some passengers hanging their legs over the sides and a number not wearing life jackets, according to authorities. Heidari was convicted of endangering others and arriving in the UK without valid entry clearance.
Manas Yuk, an 18-year-old Sudanese national, was sentenced to 18 months in youth detention for piloting a boat carrying 81 people, including children, days before Heidari's crossing. Both men pleaded guilty to endangerment charges at Canterbury Crown Court.
