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Chan Atak, a 19-year-old from South Sudan, was sentenced to two years and three months in prison by Canterbury Crown Court on Friday for his role in piloting an overcrowded dinghy with 165 people during a dangerous Channel crossing on July 23. The boat, which lacked essential safety equipment and had only one functioning engine, endured nearly 24 hours at sea before being rescued. Judge Sarah Counsell highlighted Atak’s significant involvement in navigating the vessel despite risks to those aboard, noting that he was caught on camera piloting the craft but later tried to avoid detection.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-19,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Chan Mathok Atak, a 19-year-old from South Sudan, was jailed for two years and three months at Canterbury Crown Court after admitting to endangering lives during an illegal crossing of the English Channel on July 23. The boat he piloted carried more than 165 migrants, including 31 children aged between 14 and 17, setting a record for the highest number of passengers in a single dinghy crossing at that time.
Despite his lawyer's argument that there was "not a single shred of evidence" linking Atak to the boat’s overcrowding or lack of safety equipment, Judge Sarah Counsell deemed the offense serious enough to warrant immediate imprisonment. The prosecution claimed that Atak controlled the boat for around 90 minutes before hiding among other passengers.
This sentencing is part of the British government's broader crackdown on migration and Channel crossings. It comes amid ongoing investigations into unintercepted migrant boats, such as one incident where a dinghy reached Kent undetected and five people were detained after being alerted by a GB News producer. Conservative MPs have criticized the Home Office for losing control over border security breaches like these.
Written for “Migrant Boat Smuggling Conviction” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 8 other(s) covering the same event.
This was a record high number of passengers on a boat for a Channel crossing when the craft made the journey carrying men, women and 31 children, the youngest aged 14, on July 23.
asserted
youngest → make → July
Chan Atak, 19, from South Sudan, was jailed for two years and three months’ at Canterbury Crown Court on Friday for endangering others during a Channel crossing, which in this case lasted nearly 24 hours.
asserted
which → jail → case
The dinghy had two outboard engines but one was not functioning, while tubing on the boat had started to deflate, the court heard.
asserted
court → have → boat
Aerial footage shows one person “constantly pumping” to try to re-inflate the rigid-hulled inflatable boat.
asserted
person → show → boat
Atak was also picked up on aerial footage operating the boat for 90 minutes wearing a black jacket with an “Italia” logo.
asserted
Atak → pick → logo
But then Atak crouched down among other passengers and took off his jacket “to avoid detection as the helmsman”, prosecutor James Harrison said.
Sentencing him, Judge Sarah Counsell said Atak played an “important role” in controlling and navigating the vessel, and it was not “fleeting or incidental involvement”.
asserted
it → crouch → vessel
“Crossings of this nature are inherently dangerous,” she said.
asserted
she → say → nature
“Small inflatable vessels of the type commonly used for these crossings are not designed for offshore sea voyages.
“Those who choose to steer such vessels assume responsibility for the safety of those on board.”
asserted
who → use → board
The judge also noted that as well as engine issues, the vessel did not have navigation, emergency signalling equipment or firefighting equipment while fuel containers and batteries were “stored together creating a risk of fire”.
asserted
containers → note → fire
But she added there was no evidence he organised the crossing or that he stood to make money from it.
asserted
he → add → it
The court heard Atak had told police officers he paid 200 euros to a gang for the crossing.
asserted
he → hear → crossing
Atak pleaded guilty to the single offence in August at the same court.
asserted
Atak → plead → court
The teenager, aided by an Arabic interpreter, wore a t-shirt and a large white rosary around his neck at the hearing on Friday.
asserted
teenager → aid → Friday
Defending him, barrister Audrey Mogan urged the court to take into account his young age, having turned 19 the month before the crossing took place.
asserted
crossing → defend → place
Ms Mogan described Atak has someone who has “escaped the horrors of South Sudan”, where he saw militia set fire to a neighbourhood, people shot and their throats slashed.
asserted
throats → describe → neighbourhood
“It’s from there he escaped to Italy and then to France,” she said.
asserted
she → ’ → France
She told the judge: “He wants me to tell this to your honour, he came here to seek sanctuary and safety, that is of course what asylum seekers are doing, to build a new life and to leave the dire circumstances where they come from, seek protection.”
asserted
they → tell → protection
The court heard the sentence for Atak meant as a foreign national he was liable in principle to automatic deportation back to his country.
asserted
he → hear → country
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