Algerians among 150 illegal immigrants stuck in sea

Italian and Maltese authorities refused to rescue 150 illegal immigrants including Algerians, Tunisians and Libyans on Saturday after a Turkish ship crew had been recovered them.

• The illegal immigrants who were on four zodiacs were in danger while the Turkish crew saw them when passing by Maltese territorial waters on Friday night.
• The association of the Algerian illegal immigrants’ families are making intensifies calls to know the whereabouts and the identies of the Algerians on the Turkish ship. They have been told some of them died.
• Contacts between the Turkish ship crew and the Italian and Maltese governments to take the illegal immigrants to one of their ports failed.
• The Italian government said it did not allow the Turkish ship to take the illegal immigrants on their land because they ere not found on their territorial waters.
• The association’s chief Kamel Belabed said he is following the issue and collecting information from fishermen and coast guards in the start point of the immigrants.
• “Preliminary news says most of them come from Tunisia, Libya and Algeria. They may be in bad health conditions,” he added.
• Press attaché at the Algerian solidarity ministry said the department is informed about the issue but it has not done any act in view of the lack of sufficient details.