Suspected African migrant arrested after smashing into Ramsgate Harbour during attempt to steal boat

The owner of the vessel told GB News that a man managed to start the boat and attempted to leave the port, before smashing into the harbour wall and being detained.

The boat suffered some damage to the bow of the vessel and to its mooring ropes.

Olly Swift said the crew were left shaken after the incident.

He told the People’s Channel: “I had a phone call at 3 o’clock in the morning from the skipper of the fishing boat Carousel, which is one of the boats of the fleet.

“Someone had broken onto the boat while they were sleeping in the bunks down below.

“They started the engines up and put the boat into gear, which then parted with the mooring ropes. It has obviously then gone flat out, which is very dangerous in the harbour.”

Mr Swift said his crew thought it must have been him attempting to start the boat.

He added: “That was until the boat crashed into the wall. I’m normally down doing services early, etc., so they didn’t think anything of it till they crashed.

“So, the skipper came up to inspect what was going on and…they managed to get it under control.

The crew said that a man had told them he needed to get to France to get his family.

For a while, the vessel’s owner said it was a tense standoff.

Mr Swift said: “He kept on reaching for his waistband, so they didn’t know if he had the knife on him or what. So it’s quite scary for them.

“They got it under control because he was trying to use the steering wheel instead of the joystick, so we left him, pretending he was driving the boat and managed to get the boat back to the wall, but it’s been quite a scary moment for the lads.”

A police spokesman said: “Kent Police was called at 3:17am on Tuesday 3 November to a report of a theft in progress at Royal Harbour, Ramsgate.

“It is reported that an attempt was made to take a boat to sea and ropes were damaged.

“Officers attended and a 30-year-old Sudanese man was arrested in connection with the incident.

“He remains in custody while enquiries to establish the circumstances continue.”