18 illegal immigrants arrested in eastern Algeria

Coast guards arrested 18 Algerian illegal immigrants in the province of Annaba (east of Algiers) who left the area on Wednesday night to Sardinia on a fishing boat, naval base chief said.

• The illegal immigrants were close to Sardinia’s beaches but they had to come back because of the bad weather,” Abdelaziz Zaidi told Echorouk.
• One of them called his father by phone when their fuel was used up. In his turn, the father called the cost guards who found them after more than 10 hours in bad health state.
• They appeared in court on Monday accused of leaving the territory in an illegal way.
• Zaidi said they will be trialled according to the law which stipulates a sentence of two to six months prison and 20,000 to 60,000 DZ fine.
• This law is applicable on every person whether Algerian or not who leaves the national territory in an illegal way when crossing land, sea or air borders.