Exhausted migrants aboard a Turkish people…
Exhausted migrants aboard a Turkish people-smuggling ship are towed into port at Ierapetra, Crete yesterday, having been tossed for two days in stormy seas off the island’s southeastern coast after the Aldin Kaptan’s engines broke down. Between Tuesday and Wednesday night, 43 women and children were airlifted to land, while naval and merchant vessels stood by for assistance. There was a total of 246 illegal immigrants – mostly Iraqi Kurds – on board, and two Turkish suspected crew members, who were arrested. It should be ready by the end of 2003, according to Unification of the Archaeological Sites of Athens SA (EAXA), the public company managing the 4.7-billion-drachma project, which is already several months behind schedule.
