TUNIS/ROME: At least eight people drowned on Monday when a boat carrying dozens of mostly Tunisian migrants collided with a navy vessel off the country’s southeast coast, its Defense Ministry said.
According to testimony from survivors, there were between 70 and 80 people on board, International Organization for Migration (IOM) spokesman Flavio Di Giacomo said.
He said at least 20 people were missing and some 40, almost all Tunisians, had been rescued.
The ministry said eight bodies had been recovered after the collision with the Tunisian navy boat, which occurred 54km off the coast.
Italian news agency ANSA said the migrant vessel had sunk.
Libya has long been the busiest country of departure for a steady flow of migrants trying to reach the European Union from North Africa.
But activity on that route has declined since July as Libya’s coast guard and an armed group in the smuggling hub of Sabratha tightened controls.
Meanwhile, departures from Tunisia have picked up, many in wooden boats that have started landing on secluded Sicilian beaches, often in broad daylight.
A rescue mission after Monday’s collision was being coordinated by the Maltese coast guard, an Italian coast guard spokesman said. Two Italian coast guard ships, a finance police boat and a navy ship had been sent to assist, he said.
A Maltese plane was en route to the scene, a Maltese army spokesman said.
Tunisian migrant, navy boats collide; 8 bodies found
Tunisian migrant, navy boats collide; 8 bodies found
Yemen’s STC leader Al-Zubaidi has fled to unknown location, did not board plane to Riyadh: Coalition
Yemen’s STC leader Al-Zubaidi has fled to unknown location, did not board plane to Riyadh: Coalition
RIYADH: Aidarous Al-Zubaidi, the leader of Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council, has fled to an unknown location and did not board a plane to the Saudi capital Riyadh, where talks with other southern-based factions are set to take place, the coalition to support the legitimate government of Yemen said.
Saudi Arabia offered to mediate between the factions to resolve tensions in the south of the country and both Al-Zubaidi and Yemen’s presidential council leader Rashad Al-Alimi agreed to attend.
A large delegation of STC members did board the flight to Riyadh, the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen said early on Wednesday.
Al-Zubaidi was due to arrive in the Kingdom on Tuesday but during a 3-hour flight delay, the coalition said that “unjustified field movements” were observed in Aden.
The coalition said it had been provided with information that Al-Zubaidi has moved a large number of forces toward Dhala.
Last week, the coalition carried a out a “limited” airstrike targeting two shipments of smuggled weapons and other military hardware into Mukalla in southern Yemen.
It said the two vessels entered the port without authorization from either the Yemeni government or the coalition, prompting the port’s closure.
The large quantity of “weapons and combat vehicles to support the Southern Transitional Council forces in the eastern governorates of Yemen” aimed to fuel the conflict, the coalition said.
More to follow...
