Channel deaths: Driver of vessel 'saved us all', court hears

Ibrahima Bah, 19, of no fixed address, is accused of four counts of manslaughter and piloting a vessel facilitating unlawful entry to the UK

A man has told a court the actions of a driver "saved us all" during a small boat crossing in the English Channel in which at least four people died.

Ahmrullah Ahmadzi was travelling in a boat with more than 40 people.

He told jurors how the vessel was travelling for about two hours with water pouring in.

Ibrahima Bah, 19, of no fixed address, is accused of four counts of manslaughter and piloting a vessel facilitating unlawful entry to the UK.

The court previously heard the vessel with more than 40 migrants on board was designed to carry only 20 people.

The boat ran into trouble off the Kent coast in December 2022.

'Last push'

Mr Ahmadzi, an Afghan national, told jurors the water in the vessel started at his ankles and eventually reached his knees.

But, it was the actions of the driver that "saved us all", he told a jury at Canterbury Crown Court on Thursday.

Mr Ahmadzi, aided by a Pashto interpreter, said: "The driver kept saying 'don't worry, calm down, I will take you there'.

"The boat carried on driving because if the boat stopped, we would have drowned much quicker because the length of the waves was getting bigger and bigger.

He added: "It was the driver's help, if he didn't help us we would have all died."

At least four migrants drowned, although the exact number is not known, as it appears at least one migrant's body was not recovered, the court previously heard.

Mr Ahmadzi said the driver's "last push" to get the sinking boat near a fishing boat where people were able to cling on until rescue teams arrived was what "saved us all".

He said it was "common knowledge" among those in the boat that once they entered British waters "they would be rescued".

The witness added: "Because the boat collapsed on to itself and ... some of the people, some of them were trapped inside, some of them managed to get out and some were inside and the boat was going down."

The trial is due to last for four weeks.

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