A teenager who piloted a boat carrying 165 people across the English Channel has been jailed for endangering lives at sea. Chan Atak, 19, was investigated by the National Crime Agency after a crossing began on 23 July, when the vessel picked up men, women and children along the French coastline before travelling towards Dover. The 14.3-metre craft had two outboard engines, but only one was working. It was severely overcrowded, with the total number of migrants onboard described as a record at the time. After the boat was intercepted, people were transferred to a Border Force Command vessel and the boat was towed to Dover Western Jet Foil. NCA investigators reviewed footage showing Atak holding the tiller for a prolonged period during the voyage. The video also showed that, just before the rescue, the pilot turned off an engine and disappeared into the middle of the boat, later reappearing without his blue ITALIA coat and wearing a white t-shirt. Atak was identified as the individual seen in the footage, arrested, and charged by the Crown Prosecution Service with endangering lives at sea. The NCA said the boat had been at sea for almost 24 hours and that there was limited food, drinking water and medical provision. Investigators reported that lifejackets were completely inadequate for the journey and that there was a considerable fire risk because batteries were located close to fuel cans. Atak pleaded guilty at Canterbury Crown Court on 24 August. He was sentenced to two years and three months imprisonment at the same court on 18 September. The NCA said the action was “unimaginably reckless” and that the vessel was unsuitable for crossing one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.