Alleged small boat pilot in court over deaths of four migrants in Channel

The alleged pilot of a small boat has appeared in court over the deaths of four migrants who drowned trying to cross the Channel.

Sudanese national Alnour Mohamed Ali, 27, appeared before Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on Saturday charged with endangering life, after two men and two women died trying to board a small boat crossing the English Channel on Thursday.

It is alleged he “did knowingly arrive in the United Kingdom by water from France without a valid entry clearance and, during the relevant period, did an act that caused, or created a risk of, the death of, or serious personal injury to, another person”, the court was told.

Ali, who appeared in the dock dressed in dark clothing and required an interpreter, confirmed his date of birth before indicating a not guilty plea to the charge of endangering life, telling the magistrates: “I didn’t do that.”

He was remanded into custody and will appear at Canterbury Crown Court on May 11.

Two men and two women died as they attempted to climb on to a so-called “taxi boat” at Equihen-Plage, near Boulogne-sur-Mer, on Thursday.

Thirty-eight people were returned to the French shore after the incident south of Boulogne-sur-Mer near Calais, but 74 migrants travelled on to the UK.

The new “taxi boat” people smuggling tactic, designed to avoid detection by French police, involves dinghies travelling along the coast with just a driver to pre-designated beaches where migrants enter the water to climb on board.

Two children were among those taken to hospital as a precaution after the incident on Thursday, and another person was treated for hypothermia.

Endangering another during a journey by sea to the UK is a new offence introduced as part of border security legislation earlier this year.

In January, Aman Naseri, 18, an Afghan national, became the first person to be charged.

According to the Home Office, the offence is designed to stop more people being crammed into unsafe boats and would apply to those involved in physical aggression and intimidation, as well as anyone who resists rescue.

French government official Francois-Xavier Lauch, the prefect of Pas-de-Calais, told reporters on Thursday the people who died were “already quite far into the sea”, adding: “The currents, which can be dangerous here, swept them away.”

The agency is helping French authorities with their investigation.

It came a day after French emergency services took part in a training exercise to practise dealing with migrants in the water at the same beach where the deaths happened.

More than 5,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel so far this year, according to Home Office data.

Migrant charities repeated calls for the Government to provide safe and legal ways for asylum seekers to arrive in the UK to prevent more deaths while the Conservatives accused Labour of being “weak” over tackling crossings.

The Government said it was “deeply saddened” by the deaths.