A 19-year-old South Sudanese man has denied allegations that he piloted an overcrowded inflatable boat carrying 167 migrants across the English Channel. Prosecutors allege that Chan Mathok Atak was one of two people steering the vessel after it left the French coast before being intercepted by Border Force near Dover. The boat, described as a “mega dinghy”, was reportedly overloaded, of poor quality, and beginning to deflate when authorities reached it. Appearing before magistrates, Atak denied being one of the pilots and pleaded not guilty to a charge of endangering life during a sea crossing. He has been remanded in custody and will appear before Canterbury Crown Court in August. The crossing set a new record for the number of people on a single small boat making the journey, highlighting continuing concerns over organised people-smuggling networks and the dangerous risks faced by migrants attempting to reach the UK. More than 13,000 small-boat arrivals have been recorded so far this year.