Refugees: At least 44 deaths in boat accidents in the Mediterranean

Two refugee boats have fallen off the coasts of Turkey and Tunisia. The coast guards were able to save at least 73 people according to their own data.

Refugees: At least 44 deaths in boat accidents in the Mediterranean

In case of boat accidents in Mediterranean, many refugees have drowned. Off coast of Tunisia near archipelago of Kerkenna, at least 35 people died, Tunisian Ministry of Defence shared. The Coast Guard has also been able to save at least 68 people.

A boat has also sunk in front of Turkish coast of province of Antalya. There, at least nine refugees, including six children, were drowned after information from Coast Guard. Five or people on board were still saved.

The European Commission recently announced that, since beginning of year, significantly more migrants would return to EU illegally via Turkey, despite common refugee agreement. Most of m, however, break up with inflexible inflatable boats or or non-seaworthy boats. In an attempt to cross Mediterranean, at least 660 people died this year according to UN data. In first four months of 2018, almost 22,500 migrants reached European coasts.

The new Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini took a speech on disasters in Mediterranean. "The goal is to save lives. And this is done by stopping departures of boats of death, "he said during a visit to Sicily. Salvini and his right-party Lega had recently repeatedly spoken out for a tough immigration policy.

Date Of Update: 04 June 2018, 12:02
NEXT NEWS