Daniel Thomas, who uses the name Danny Tommo, says his boat The Patriot sank in Littlehampton in June after developing mechanical issues at the mouth of the Arun River. He has now returned to GiveSendGo to raise money for another boat and related expenses, after supporters had already funded the original vessel.
Thomas said he had spent 14 hours in the boat and did not want to lose the use of it after the money people had donated. He also said, “I’m paying £400 myself, just need a little help with the rest if your able to!”
In April, Thomas bought the boat with donations from his supporters. By June, an invoice shared to his social media showed he had been charged £1,775 by Littlehampton Harbour, including £758 for the use of a recovery vessel. His GiveSendGo page says the monthly goal is £10,000 and that donations will be used for buses and transportation vehicles, new boats and marine equipment, fuel, accommodation and secure facilities, a dedicated yard or facility, and professional camera, audio and studio equipment.
Littlehampton Harbour and The Patriot
The sinking disrupted a crowdfunded patrol effort built around The Patriot, which Thomas had used to try to police the Channel for asylum seekers. The same fundraising effort has already raised more than £21,000 for his Patriot Platform group, which is linked to angry protests in Portsmouth and Dover this month.
Thomas said the boat had sunk because of sabotage, possibly by left-wing activists. That account sits beside a separate report that the vessel accidentally sank after mechanical issues, and the June invoice from Littlehampton Harbour points to the recovery work that followed.
Daniel Thomas and Danny Tommo
A video posted to his YouTube channel in May appears to show him yelling at Border Patrol in the Channel. Thomas also shared a post saying, “The public crowdfunded a boat. I spent 14 hours on that boat and got up close where no one had got up close before. The footage no one had! I also had some very hairy moments which could have cost me my life! And I did it alone! So fuck you! Go and do something for your…”
The immediate issue is now practical rather than symbolic: Thomas is asking supporters to fund a replacement boat after the first one sank, and his own contribution is set at £400. The question his fundraising has not answered is why he did not disclose that the vessel had accidentally sunk.
