A boat purchased by far-right activist Daniel Thomas, also known as Danny Tommo, to disrupt Border Force operations in the English Channel has reportedly sunk within weeks of its initial use. The vessel, described as a small rigid-hulled inflatable boat called the Patriot, was acquired by Thomas’s group, Patriot Platform, which has been involved in masked protests in Dover and Portsmouth targeting migrants and authorities.

Thomas, who has a prior conviction for attempted kidnapping, raised thousands of pounds through livestreams of his protests, using the funds to support his activities, including the purchase of the boat. He publicly announced acquiring the Patriot in April via his social media platform, X. However, by June, he began crowdfunding again to finance the salvage efforts after the vessel sank near West Sussex.

Thomas alleges on his YouTube channel that the sinking may have resulted from sabotage, potentially orchestrated by left-wing activists. This claim has not been independently verified. Meanwhile, investigations into the incident suggest that mechanical problems at the mouth of the Arun River could have caused the boat to sink.

Patriot Platform’s operations, marked by confrontations with migrants and police, have drawn attention due to the group’s disruptive tactics. The sinking of the Patriot represents a setback for Thomas and his followers, who had aimed to use the boat to interfere directly with Border Force patrols in the Channel, a route frequently used by migrants attempting to enter the United Kingdom.

The circumstances surrounding the sinking remain under discussion, with no conclusive determination made between deliberate sabotage or technical failure. The incident highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding migration enforcement and activist actions linked to it along the south coast of England.