N.O.R.F Posted June 23, 2003 200 missing as migrants' boat goes down off Tunisia AP 21 June 2003 Up to 200 people are missing after a boat carrying Africans trying to get to Europe capsized off the Tunisian coast, the official news agency said. At least 12 died. About 250 people were aboard the vessel en route to Italy when it sank at dawn yesterday about 70 miles south-east of the Tunisian city of Sfax. The boat was carrying people from several African nations hoping to slip into Europe. 41 people were pulled from the water alive It is unclear what caused the accident, the latest in a series of deadly accidents involving boats of Africans trying to enter Europe illegally, Thousands of people risk their lives every year in the crossing. Often, they set off overnight in makeshift crafts or inflatable boats. Some drown. Tunisian investigators said it appeared the boat took off from a neighboring country, without giving details. Many such boats leave from Libya. Italy is trying to reach an accord with Libya to stem the boatloads of illegal immigrants arriving on Italian shores. Relatively few of those who try to slip into Italy hope to settle there. Most travel north, to countries such as Germany that have proportionally larger immigrant populations. Earlier this week, Italian rescue ships recovered the bodies of seven immigrants who drowned off the Sicilian island of Lampedusa near the North African coast after their ship capsized. The TAP news agency said Tunisian authorities had found two other boats likely carrying illegal immigrants on Wednesday and Thursday. The first, carrying 28 people, was discovered near Zarzis, a port near the Libyan border. Authorities discovered the second, a rubber boat carrying 24 people, near the Tunisian island of Djerba. As i have come to find out, this is a popular route for Somalis to try and get to Europe, via Libya, this is bad news indeed and would not be very surprised if some were not somali, the q i have is, IS IT WORTH IT? I mean risking all that just to get to Italy, who don not have the best record on Asylum by any means, then try to get to the uk thru the EU. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
