11 would-be-illegal immigrants arrested in Algeria

Algerian coast guards said they caught 11 people offshore Sunday morning trying to smuggle themselves to the northern side of the Mediterranean.

• “The illegal immigrants were arrested about 10 miles offshore from a beach in Oran (west of Algeria). They were taken to the port of Oran before appearing in court,” Algeria News Agency (APS) reported citing the coast guards.
• Earlier in November, coast guards caught 11 would-be-illegal immigrants about 20 miles offshore in Mostaghanem (west of Algeria). Two days later, other 11 illegal immigrants were rescued in the same town as their boat was broken down.
• The phenomenon of illegal immigration from Algeria to Europe appears to be on the rise. A recent Algerian navy report indicates that the number of people who died during the crossing and whose bodies have been recovered has risen steadily over the last two years, up from 29 in 2005 to 73 in 2006 and 83 in 2007.