Egypt said 18 of its citizens remain missing after a migrant boat capsized off the coast of Crete last week, leaving four people dead.
The wooden vessel, carrying around 50 people including four minors, was reported in distress late Friday. According to Greek broadcaster ERT, the accident occurred as passengers attempted to climb ladders onto a commercial rescue ship, causing the overcrowded boat to overturn.
Egypt’s foreign ministry said 21 Egyptians were on board. Three have been confirmed dead, while the others remain unaccounted for. Greek authorities also recovered the body of a 28-year-old Sudanese woman.
Twenty migrants were rescued by the commercial vessel. Greek officials arrested two Sudanese men suspected of people smuggling; they are due to appear before judges.
The boat is believed to have departed from Libya, a common departure point for migrants attempting the dangerous Mediterranean crossing toward Europe. More than 17,000 Egyptians reached Europe via the Mediterranean last year, making them the largest African and second-largest overall group of irregular migrants.
SOURCE: TRT AFRICA
