Egyptian authorities rescue 54 Sudanese illegal immigrants

September 26, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – An Egyptian security official Saturday said the authorities rescued 174 illegal immigrants, mostly Sudanese as they were heading to Europe on a boat, 47 nautical miles north west of Mersa Matruh.

Egypt’s al-Youm al-Sabi’i daily newspaper quoted the director of security in Mersa Matruh, Maj. Gen. Hashim Lutfi, as saying that the rescued immigrants include 23 Egyptians and 151 from nine other countries.

He pointed the rest of the immigrants include 54 Sudanese, 29 Syrians, 35 Comorians, 18 Somalis, 6 Ethiopians, 5 Eritreans, 2 Chadians, one Djiboutian and one Kenyan.

The illegal immigrants said they took the boat from the coast of the town of Gamasa in Al-daghalia province in Egypt, pointing they were heading to Italy.

The immigrants added that they forced the crew to anchor off the coast of Al-Mathani village when they felt the boat was sinking, noting the crew members fled after the boat had stopped.

A Sudanese citizen by the name of Ahmed, 31 years old, whose leg had broken during the rescue operation, said he was injured while he was trying to jump out of the boat.

According to the newspaper, the rescued immigrants are in the custody of the Egyptian border guards, saying they will be brought before the relevant prosecution.

The European Union is facing unprecedented mass migration from Middle East countries. On Friday, the United Nations estimated that there about 8,000 arrival daily pointing it could see no easing of the flow of refugees into Europe.

(ST)