A young person charged over a small boat Channel crossing was allegedly piloting a “mega dinghy” carrying a record 165 migrants from France to England, the National Crime Agency has stated.
Sudanese nationwide Chan Mathok Atak, 19, is accused of endangering one other throughout a journey by sea to the UK on Thursday and is because of seem at Margate Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
The quantity on the dinghy broke the earlier record from July, when 128 crossed the Channel from France on one vessel.
According to Home Office figures, greater than 13,000 arrivals have been recorded in 2026, which is 45% decrease than this time in 2025 and down 18% on the identical interval in 2024.
Border Security Command was pictured towing a dinghy – estimated to be about the identical dimension as an ordinary bus at 13m (42ft) lengthy – when it arrived in Dover in Kent on Thursday afternoon.
Home Office figures confirmed 366 folks arrived after crossing in three boats on Thursday throughout heat, sunny climate and calm situations at sea.
On Wednesday, 172 folks made the journey in three boats, bringing an finish to an 11-day hiatus due to windy situations within the Channel.
Refugee charity Care4Calais stated the crossing route was changing into “more and more dangerous” due to the rising variety of folks in every boat.
