BY: Hana Saada
ALGIERS- Four individuals have tragically lost their lives, and 22 others are currently missing, as a boat capsized off the coast of Tipaza. The victims, who were attempting to illegally immigrate, were aboard a boat that departed from the west coast of the Wilaya on Monday, with a total of 28 passengers on board. According to survivors’ accounts, the boat overturned, leading to the devastating outcome.
Reports indicate that the coastguards recovered the bodies of a woman in her thirties and her child late Monday afternoon. Later that day, the national gendarmerie received a call from sailors who had discovered two bodies and two survivors on the coast of the town of Larhat. The coastguards were immediately notified and intervened to recover the two bodies and the two survivors, one of whom was of Syrian nationality, and the other of Algerian nationality. The victims were then transported to the hospital in the municipality of Sidi Ghiles.
Upon investigation by the survivors, it was discovered that the incident was linked to the attempted illegal immigration of 28 individuals, resulting in the capsizing of the boat and the loss of four lives. Two other individuals were rescued, and a search was launched by the coastguards to locate the 22 individuals who are still missing.
This is not the first time that such a tragedy has occurred. Just two days prior, the coastguards had to intervene to save 14 individuals from certain peril after the breakdown of a boat during an attempted illegal immigration from the coast of the city of Ain Tagourait. As a result, the national gendarmerie has opened an investigation to identify the sponsors of both trips.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of those affected by this heartbreaking incident.
