Afghan man casually vapes while steering packed migrant boat | UK | News
An Afghan national who casually vaped while piloting a small boat full of migrants across the English Channel has been jailed. Basir Ramatullah, 21, is the seventh in less than two months to have been sent to prison. He was sentenced to two years at Canterbury Crown Court on Thursday, July 23.
Ramatullah piloted a small boat on May 2, which carried 53 other people from the French coast into UK waters before being intercepted by Border Security Command vessels. The boat was “severely overcrowded” and aerial drone footage showed that some passengers not wearing life jackets, the Home Office said.
Ramatullah was identified by specialist Immigration Enforcement officers stationed in the Channel using the captured footage, which showed he was vaping during the crossing. He was later arrested by Kent Police on May 3. The pilot was convicted of a new offence introduced as part of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act, which makes it illegal to put lives at risk by facilitating small boat crossings of the English Channel.
It carries a maximum sentence of up to six years in prison. In less than two months, small boat pilots have been jailed for a total of 14 years under this offence, officials said.
Analysis by the Press Association of government data showed 77,183 migrants arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel during Sir Keir Starmerโs premiership after Labourโs election victory in July 2024.
According to Home Office figures, 12,641 arrivals have been recorded this year.
This is 46% lower than the number recorded by this time last year and down 20% on the same period in 2024.
Minister of State in the Home Office, Anna Turley, said: “With seven small boat pilots now jailed under the new endangerment offence, we are sending a clear message to the criminal gangs.
“Those risking lives and bringing illegal migrants to our shores will end up behind bars.
โWe have delivered a 74% surge in arrests for organised immigration crime, with wider disruption activity against these criminal networks, including arrests, convictions and seizures up 50%.
โWe said we would smash the gangs and that is exactly what we are doing.โ
Six other small boat pilots have been jailed since June.
- Mohammad Tajik, 32, from Afghanistan, who piloted 75 migrants into UK waters on a small boat before being intercepted by Border Security Command. Tajik tried to cover his tracks by leaving the engine position, causing the dinghy to lose power and further putting lives in danger. He was sentenced on June 10 and jailed for two years for endangerment and arriving in the UK without valid entry clearance.
- Alnour Ali, 27, from Sudan, piloted a small boat on April 9 carrying 73 other migrants, initially denying being the pilot but later admitting his guilt. The boat contained no safety equipment, including radio, flares, first aid kit, repair kit, paddles, lights or navigation aids, jeopardising the safety of the boatโs passengers as it traversed one of the worldโs busiest shipping lanes. Ali was sentenced on June 10 and jailed for two years and three months.
- Azzeddine Ainbouzid, 29, from Algeria, ferried 67 people from the French coast on April 18, including a pregnant woman and several minors. The boat was suitable for only 20 people, with images showing legs hanging over the side and feet in the water. Ainbouzid dropped the boat tiller once confronted by Border Security Command vessels, causing him to lose control and endangering lives further on an already severely overcrowded boat. He was sentenced on June 25 and jailed for two years consecutively for endangering lives at sea and arriving in the UK without valid entry clearance.
- Jima Bol Chuol, 27, from South Sudan, ferried 71 other individuals across the channel on March 22, including 10 minors, one of whom was his own child, on a small boat designed to carry only 25 people. The vessel also had no safety equipment or navigational aids. Once intercepted, Chuol changed his clothing and position on the boat in an attempt to hide from Border Security Command officers, but through a review of the aerial footage, he was identified as the pilot of the vessel. Chuol initially pled not guilty but later admitted his guilt. He was sentenced and jailed for two years on July 15 for endangering lives at sea and arriving in the UK without valid entry clearance.
- Charun Magok, 19, from Sudan, piloted a small boat across the Channel on March 20 carrying 6 individuals, which was still above the capacity for the vessel. There were no navigational aids, safety equipment or distress signalling equipment on board. Magok was identified as the boatโs pilot using aerial drone footage, wearing a distinctive Christmas jumper, which he discarded in the sea when approached in an attempt to hide. He initially pled not guilty but later admitted his guilt. He was sentenced on July 15 2026 for endangering lives at sea and arrival to the UK without a valid entry clearance, being jailed for 16 months in a young offenderโs institution.
- Samir Hassen, 26, from Somalia, piloted a small boat with 8 other individuals on June 18. The boat was described as steering erratically, veering directly towards the Border Security Command vessel at times, further jeopardising the safety of his passengers. Hassen pled guilty to endangering lives at sea on 21st July 2026, and was sentenced to two years and four months in prison the same day.
