One dead, 33 missing, after immigrants' boat sinks
A fishing boat carrying dozens of illegal immigrants sank off the coast of northern Cyprus, leaving one person dead and 33 others missing, the Turkish Cypriot news agency TAK reported today.
The boat, with 39 people on board, left the Turkish coastal city of Mersin late on Sunday and sank early yesterday near Cyprus, TAK reported.
Two of the migrants – both Syrians – were rescued by tourists and a third was rescued by Turkish Cypriot officials, while two others swam to shore, TAK said.
One Turkish national drowned and his body was recovered from the sea.
Thousands of migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa make the dangerous trip across the Mediterranean or the Aegean on their way to European countries each year, and such accidents are common.
The European Union, which Turkey seeks to join, is pressing Turkey to crack down on illegal immigration.
