A suspect is due to appear in court today after allegedly taking control of a fishing boat while its crew slept.
The 100-tonne vessel was left adrift after its mooring ropes snapped during the incident in the early hours of yesterday.
Fisherman Olly Swift claimed the suspect, a Sudanese national, was demanding to be taken to France to collect his family.
Kent Police said an attempt was made to take a fishing boat to sea, and damage was caused to the vessel shortly before 3.30am yesterday.
Officers attended following reports, and a man was arrested.
Bilal Adam, 30, of Landor Grove, Greater Manchester, was charged with aggravated vehicle taking (taking a conveyance without consent causing damage).
He was remanded in custody to appear before Margate Magistrates’ Court today.
Yesterday, Mr Swift described how the crew managed to get “on top of the situation” and bring the boat back alongside the harbour wall.
Speaking to KentOnline, he said: “The lads were asleep in their beds, tied up to the wall because of the bad weather.
“They woke up to the engine starting and the boat going flat out ahead and the ropes snapping.
“They thought it was me tinkering around in the engine room, but it wasn’t.”
