An Afghan migrant has become the first person convicted under a new law targeting dangerous small-boat crossings across the English Channel.
Tajik Mohammad, 32, pleaded guilty at Canterbury Crown Court to endangering lives during a sea crossing to the United Kingdom. He will be sentenced on 10 June.
What happened
Prosecutors said Mohammad was piloting an overcrowded inflatable dinghy in poor weather on 17 January. Some passengers were not wearing life jackets.
According to the Crown Prosecution Service, he abandoned the vessel and those onboard when a rescue ship arrived, before later reaching the UK himself, where he was arrested.
The new law
The charge falls under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act, introduced in January to crack down on unsafe crossings.
The law targets individuals who:
- Pilot overcrowded or dangerous boats
- Endanger passengers through reckless behavior
- Use intimidation or violence onboard
- Interfere with rescue efforts
Conviction can carry a sentence of up to five years in prison, rising to six years for those already subject to deportation orders.
Wider context
UK authorities say the law is aimed at preventing so-called “floating crime scenes,” where unsafe conditions on small boats have led to deaths from drowning or crushing.
Other cases are already moving through the courts:
- A 16-year-old Afghan, the first person charged under the law, has denied endangering 46 people, claiming he was forced to pilot a boat.
- Alnour Mohamed Ali, a Sudanese national, has been charged after four migrants died while attempting to board a boat earlier this month.
So far in 2026, around 6,000 migrants have crossed the Channel in small boats, underlining the continued pressure on UK authorities and the ongoing risks faced by those attempting the journey.