A 19-year-old from South Sudan has been sentenced to two years and three months in prison after steering a dinghy carrying 165 migrants across the English Channel to the UK on 23 July. Chan Mathok Atak admitted to endangering others during the sea crossing, which at the time set a record for the largest number of people transported on a small boat in recent years. The sentencing took place at Canterbury Crown Court, where prosecutors argued that Atak's actions created a substantial risk of death or serious injury to all those aboard.
Why was the sentence so severe?
Judge Sarah Counsell determined that the gravity of the offence warranted immediate imprisonment, stating that no other form of punishment would be appropriate. The court heard evidence about the vessel's specifications and the dangerous conditions during the crossing. Atak's guilty plea, entered on 25 August, preceded the sentencing hearing that had originally been scheduled for 11 September.
What were the conditions on the boat?
The dinghy measured 12.8 feet (3.9 metres) wide and 46.9 feet (14.3 metres) long—roughly the length of a standard bus—yet carried far more people than it was designed to safely accommodate. Among the 165 passengers were 31 children, the youngest only 14 years old. The vessel was equipped with two outboard engines, though one had failed during the journey from Calais. When border force vessels intercepted the boat, it was already deflating, adding to the peril faced by those on board.
Has this record been broken since?
Yes. The July crossing held the record only briefly. According to reporting on subsequent Channel crossings, a boat carrying 230 migrants reached the UK in August, surpassing Atak's record. That vessel departed from the northeastern French coast late on 9 August and arrived in Britain early on 10 August, carrying more than 20 children among its passengers.
What happens to Atak now?
Judge Counsell warned Atak that as a foreign national, he faces automatic deportation in principle once he completes his prison sentence. This reflects the court's view that his actions posed an unacceptable danger to vulnerable migrants, many of them children, who entrusted their lives to his piloting of an unseaworthy vessel.
What is the broader context?
Atak's case reflects wider concerns about dangerous Channel crossings. According to earlier reporting on the July incident, he was remanded in custody and first appeared at Canterbury Crown Court on 24 August. Beyond individual prosecutions, data released in August 2026 showed that more than 1,100 people have been convicted of illegal arrival in the UK since 2022, a figure that includes torture and trafficking survivors. The dangers of such journeys have been underscored by fatal incidents, including cases where boat operators have faced manslaughter charges following deaths during crossings.
Key Facts
- Chan Mathok Atak, 19, piloted a dinghy carrying 165 migrants across the English Channel on 23 July, setting a then-record for small-boat crossings
- The vessel was 46.9 feet long but carried 31 children and was deflating when intercepted, with one of two engines non-functional
- A boat carrying 230 migrants later broke this record in August 2026
- Atak faces automatic deportation to South Sudan after completing his sentence
