Two Afghan immigrants killed, four missing in storm
Two illegal immigrants from Afghanistan were killed and four others were missing today while trying to reach a Greek island in a dinghy despite severe weather conditions, authorities said.
The two bodies were found on a shore of the Aegean Sea island of Lesvos, where winds reached 60mph, the merchant marine ministry said. Coastguards were searching for the missing four.
‘‘There were 13 people in total. Their dinghies overturned and seven managed to swim ashore,’’ said Dimitris Karabinis, head of the island’s port authority.
Lesvos, near Turkey’s coast, is one of the Greek islands favoured by illegal immigrants from Asia, eastern Europe and the Middle East trying to reach the European Union.
Premier Costas Simitis renewed calls yesterday for greater EU support to help Greece deal with the growing wave of illegal immigration.
