Reuters AlertNet Lite - Twenty African migrants bound for Italy drown

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Twenty African migrants bound for Italy drown

05 Jul 2007 12:40:48 GMT
Source: Reuters

TUNIS, July 5 (Reuters) - Twenty African illegal migrants trying to sail to Italy drowned off the north African coast but 15 others travelling with them were rescued by the Tunisian coastguard, a security source said on Thursday.

The 35 migrants, from sub-Saharan Africa, had set sail from Libya in a small boat and were trying to reach the Italian island of Lampedusa but ran into difficulties when the motor broke down and the boat began drifting, the source said.

"Over four days the coastguard recovered the bodies of 20 illegal migrants washed up ... near the southern town of Ben Guerdne and saved 15 others included two women," the source said.

Europe has urged North African countries to step up efforts to stop the flow of illegal migrants trying to reach Europe via Italy and Spain, the two countries most migrants see as their preferred entry point into the continent.

Migrants who reach Libya generally try to go in small and rickety boats to Italy. Further west along the north African coast the preferred destination is Spain.

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Last updated:Thu Jul 5 12:42:50 2007