The migrants had set sail in Izmir about 4 days ago
The migrants who died today in the waters of Steccato di Cutro, in the province of Crotone, had presumably left from Turkey. Their boat, headed for Calabria, was spotted yesterday evening by a Frontex aircraft in patrolling activities. The boat probably left the Turkish city of Izmir about 4 days ago. The estimated number of people on board the boat is 160-180 migrants of various nationalities: Afghans, Pakistanis, Turks and Somalis.
“Turkey generally succeeds in blocking the ships that leave but at the moment it is injured by continuous earthquakes perhaps the controls are loose”, said Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, underlining the need for a coordinated European action to “block the departures, not only by controlling the maritime borders of the countries” of departure.
According to a note from the Guardia di Finanza Roan of Vibo Valentia, the boat was sighted about 40 miles off the coast of Crotone and the device was immediately activated to intercept it, with the lookout V.5006 of the Naval Operations Section Gdf of Crotone and the Fast Patrol Vessel PV 6 “Barbarisi” of the Gdf Taranto Aeronaval Group, which, despite the prohibitive sea conditions that persisted along the coasts tonight, engaged in the search.
However, “despite the efforts made to reach the target, considering the difficult weather and sea conditions and the impossibility of continuing further in safety, the units of the Corps returned to their base moorings. Thus the ground search device was activated, along the directions of probable landing, also involving the other police forces in searches along the coast.Subsequently, the patrols and rescuers who had arrived on the spot in the meantime, could only ascertain the stranding of the now completely dismembered unit.Unfortunately at the moment no the death toll is certain, as searches are still ongoing, both by sea and by land, along the entire coastal stretch”.
Source-www.adnkronos.com