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A 19-year-old man has been jailed after admitting he endangered people while piloting a small boat carrying 165 migrants across the English Channel.
Chan Mathok Atak, 19, from South Sudan, was sentenced to two years and three months in prison at Canterbury Crown Court after admitting the new offence of endangering others during a sea crossing.
But what happened during the dangerous journey?
A Huge Boat Packed With People
The dinghy left the Calais area in France and travelled towards the UK on 23 July.
It was around 14.3 metres long and 3.9 metres wide, making it similar in length to a standard bus.
There were 165 people on board, including 31 children. The youngest child was 14.
The boat had two outboard engines, but one was not working during the journey.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) said the vessel was severely overcrowded and had limited supplies of food, drinking water and medication.
The crossing had also lasted almost 24 hours.
The Boat Was Starting to Deflate
The situation became even more dangerous as the boat began to lose air.
The NCA said the lifejackets being used were of completely inadequate quality. There was also a considerable fire risk because batteries were positioned close to fuel cans.
Aerial footage showed one person repeatedly pumping air into part of the vessel in an attempt to keep it inflated.
The court heard that Atak was seen piloting the boat for around 90 minutes using the one working engine.
Did He Try to Hide His Role?
Prosecutor James Harrison told Canterbury Crown Court that Atak moved away from the engine shortly before the boat was intercepted.
He also took off his jacket.
The prosecution said this appeared to be an attempt to avoid being identified as the person steering the boat.
However, aerial footage showed Atak operating the vessel while wearing a black jacket with an "Italia" logo.
Atak later told investigators that he had paid €200 (£172) to a gang for the crossing. He denied being the person who piloted the boat.
What Did the Court Hear?
The prosecution said there was no evidence Atak had training or experience in navigating a vessel of this kind.
Mr Harrison said the size of the boat, the number of people on board and the fact that it was losing air created an obvious danger.
Judge Sarah Counsell said the offence was so serious that only an immediate prison sentence could be justified.
Atak was sentenced to 27 months in prison.
The judge also warned him that, as a foreign national, he could in principle face deportation after completing his sentence.
Defence Says He Was Not Responsible for the Boat
Atak's barrister, Audrey Mogan, argued that there was no evidence he was responsible for how many people were on the boat, its condition or the safety equipment.
She also told the court that Atak had escaped violence in South Sudan and had witnessed serious violence before leaving the country.
The case is one of the first prosecutions under the new offence of endangering others during a sea crossing, which was introduced in January to target people alleged to have piloted small boats across the Channel.
The National Crime Agency said Atak's actions put the lives of all 165 people on board at serious risk.
