Three dead among illegal immigrants while trying to reach the European shores

At the moment where the Algerians were turning their heads towards Egypt waiting for the match opposing the “Pharaohs” versus the “Greens” counting for the qualification to the World Cup, 24 young illegal immigrants decided to embark on a small boat heading for the European shores.

• They have prepared their plan for more than 06 months and fixed the date of November 14, which coincides with the match between Egypt versus Algeria, as their departure day in a move to outwit the coastguards.
• They were aged between 19 and 35 years old and most of them live in the provinces of Ghilizane and Chlef (western Algeria). The group of young men got in touch with two “ferrymen”, one of them a fisherman, to set sail for death from beach of “Al Guelta”, Tenes (western Algeria).      
• They paid 70 thousand Algerian Dinars each to buy two boats
• One of the survivor, an employee at a Chinese company established in Algeria, has declared to the coastguards that he paid 70 thousand Algerian Dinars to get his ticket for Europe. Though well paid in the same company, he added that his friends have convinced him to reach the other side (Europe) after acquiring two boats and their engines to serve as means of transportation.
• The mystery of “El Guelta” beach
• The unevenness of the beach and its geographical situation makes of it the “Mecca” of the illegal immigrants. According to the local inhabitants, several successful trips towards Europe started from “El Guelta” beach where, generally, the illegal immigrants set sail at daybreak.
• For this time, the 24 illegal immigrants agreed upon 3 am local time to set sail, though some of them were longing to follow the Algeria squad performance versus Egypt in Cairo, but the European dream was bigger than a World Cup qualification for these desperate souls; so they decided carry gas oil drums, dates and water to cross the Mediterranean sea regardless of the destination as long as they reach the European shores.
• The group was split into two, the first boat had to carry 10 people while the other would transport 12, though the capacity of the boat was limited to 7 at maximum, but who cares everybody paid and everybody should be among the trip.
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• An hour and half after their departure and 6 miles away, strong winds started to blow disrupting the quietness of the sea and tossing the boats. Few minutes after water began to fill the boat that carried the 12 immigrants and the raging sea threw them overboard.
• While the other boat was battling the high waves, local fishermen drifted towards them and started the rescue operation and got in touch with local authorities to coordinate their help.
• The sole survivor from the boat that carried 10 illegal immigrants that counted three dead and three other missing, has declared to the coastguards” I have never in my life regretted an act like the one I did on November14”.