An Algerian man who was caught on drone footage piloting a small boat across the Channel has become the third person to be sent to prison for endangering the lives of others. 

Azzeddine Ainbouzid, 29, was jailed today for a total of two years at Canterbury Crown Court after pleading guilty at earlier hearings to endangerment and arriving in the UK without entry clearance. Endangerment has been an offence since January this year. 

There were 66 other people on board including a pregnant woman and three children. The boat was designed to carry 20 passengers and the prosecution said that when a boat is so overloaded then its speed, manoeuvrability and seaworthiness are severely restricted. Not everyone was wearing a lifejacket, and it was so overcrowded that people had to sit along the sides with their feet in the water. When a Border Force rescue vessel came close Ainbouzid was seen taking his hand off the tiller. This caused the boat to lose control and start going round in circles, further putting those on board in danger. 

Ainbouzid was identified as the pilot by the logo on the left-hand sleeve of his black jacket and his distinctive facial hair and charged by the Crown Prosecution Service - https://youtu.be/-u_kljE38so

 Above: Azzeddine Ainbouzid waiting to get on rescue vessel. 

The investigation by Immigration Enforcement revealed that this was the second time he had entered the UK illegally having previous arrived in 2023. Later that year he was convicted for being drunk and disorderly and resisting or obstructing a constable and was given a conditional discharge for 12 months. He also had convictions in France for drug trafficking and aggravated theft. The CPS asked the court to take these incidents into account when deciding what sentence to hand down.

Andrew Stephens from the Crown Prosecution Service said: 

“Thanks to the crystal-clear drone footage captured by Immigration Enforcement we were able to show beyond doubt that Azzeddine Ainbouzid was the person piloting the boat.

“This boat was poorly built and definitely not suited to crossing one of the busiest sea lanes in the world. He put the lives of everyone at risk including children and a pregnant woman when he decided to take his hand off the tiller which made the boat go round in circles.

“We made sure the court knew about his previous illegal arrival and criminal conviction to ensure the sentence he got would reflect his offending.

“Those who pilot small boats can expected to be caught and prosecuted.  If sentenced to more than a year in prison they face being deported. If they make an asylum application their conviction will be taken into account.” 

Alex Norris, Minister for Border Security and Asylum, said:

“This government is taking the fight to the smuggling gangs by tracking down and jailing small boat pilots.

“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message: we will use all available powers to ensure those who bring illegal migrants to our shores face justice.

“Disruptions to smuggling activity including arrests, convictions and seizures are up by nearly 50%, and we will go even further to dismantle these criminal gangs.”

On 10 June, Mohammad Tajik and Ali Alnour were sentenced to two years and two years and three months respectively for endangering lives during two other crossings.