Yahoo News 'Europe's most determined migrant' tries to reach UK in raft made of flower pots and tree branches
A man has been dubbed Europe’s most determined migrant after attempting to get to the UK in a makeshift raft of flower pots, tree branches and a plastic sail.
The 26-year-old suspected migrant from Eritrea tried to cross the Channel but was picked up on Sunday morning by the Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution (KNRM).
He was picked up by his Dutch rescuers near Ijmuiden, west of Amsterdam, in a V-shaped raft without an engine.
The vessel was made from trees, empty plastic bottles and tied together with rope.
Its one sail was made from plastic, while it contained flower pots tied end-to-end.
Dutch media reported that the man had a jerrycan on board filled with water, as well as coffee and a solar panel to charge his mobile phone.
The craft’s oars were made from long tree branches with metal trays attached to each end to make a paddle.
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The man did not speak English or Dutch and was found on a busy shipping route used by freighters entering the shipping lane to Amsterdam.
After the Dutch coastguard took him on board their craft, he was taken ashore and handed over to border control officials in the Netherlands.
Edward Zwitser, a spokesman for the KNRM, told Sky News the man was spotted by a fishing boat just 1km from the harbour at Ijmuiden.
"That's a risky situation because that's where the big sea ships going to Amsterdam sail,” he said.
He added that the man’s condition was “really good”.
