Teen charged over record crossing on 'mega dinghy'

Teen charged over record crossing on 'mega dinghy'Image source, PA MediaImage caption, The dinghy was approximately the size of a standard busByJacob PanonsSouth EastPublished37 minutes agoA teenager 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 said.Sudanese national Chan Mathok Atak, 19, is accused of endangering another during a journey by sea to the UK on Thursday and is due to appear at Margate Magistrates' Court on Monday.The number on the dinghy broke the previous record from July, when 128 crossed the Channel from France on one vessel.According to Home Office figures, more than 13,000 arrivals have been recorded in 2026, which is 45% lower than this time in 2025 and down 18% on the same period in 2024.Border Security Command was pictured towing a dinghy - estimated to be about the same size as a standard bus at 13m (42ft) long - when it arrived in Dover in Kent on Thursday afternoon.Home Office figures showed 366 people arrived after crossing in three boats on Thursday during warm, sunny weather and calm conditions at sea.On Wednesday, 172 people made the journey in three boats, bringing an end to an 11-day hiatus because of windy conditions in the Channel.Refugee charity Care4Calais said the crossing route was becoming "more and more dangerous" because of the increasing number of people in each boat. Click to expand Tap the questions below How many people cross the English Channel in small boats? Between 1 January and 13 July 2026, a total of 12,469 people crossed the English Channel by small boat from France. This was down by 45% on the same period the previous year. These crossings have become the most common way for people to be detected entering the UK illegally since 2020. Nearly all those who arrive by small boat claim asylum. Under international law, this means they are allowed to stay in the coun...