Illegal immigration: 47 youngsters lost in cold waters east of Algeria

Algerian Coast Guards in Annaba, east of Algeria, contacted their Italian counterparts in Sardinia and Cecily Islands in order to report on the loss of 47 Algerian illegal immigrants, who sailed from Annaba and Taref coasts, east of Algeria, Friday night on board of two wooden-made traditional boats.

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The first boat carried 25 youngsters and the second 17, aged between 16 and 39 years, from various eastern localities.

Sources which reported the news told Echorouk that some of their relatives called the units of coast guards of Annaba, east of Algeria, on Sunday in order to inform security services that they lost contact with those youngsters who sailed on Friday towards Sardinia.

Coast guards services mobilized the majority of their units to search for those youngsters in coordination with the units of Italian coast guards.

Same sources said that the illegal immigrants sailed under difficult conditions because of the winter weather, as the sea waters reach -5°.

Echorouk sources added that the Algerian Coast Guards sought the help of a plane belonging to the Air Force which took off yesterday morning from Boufarik airport, Blida, west of Algiers.