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North Africa: Hunger, thirst kill 50 illegal migrants trying to reach Europe
Wed. May 14, 2008 02:57 am.- By Bonny Apunyu. -
(SomaliNet) In an attempt to reach Europe from North Africa, fifty illegal immigrants have died, the Tunisian Arab-language daily Assabah-Ousbouii reported on Monday.
The source said the victims, all African, died of hunger, thirst or exposure after the small boat in which they were travelling ran out of fuel several nautical miles from the Italian island of Lampedusa.
The five-metre boat was carrying 66 people, mostly from Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Tunisia and Morocco. After it ran out of fuel it drifted for five days. During that time 47 people died, and their bodies were tossed into the sea.
The boat ultimately came ashore on a beach near the Tunisian port of Monastir carrying three corpses and 16 exhausted survivors, the daily reported.
The North African coast is a popular embarkation point for Africans attempting to reach Europe illegally. - Sapa-DPA
News Category: Africa
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