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President wants bodies brought home

President wants bodies brought home

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4 Nov 2014 - 20:38
President wants bodies brought home
author avatar
4 Nov 2014 - 20:38

KABUL (Pajhwok): President Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) to bring home the bodies of Afghan nationals drowned on Monday in Turkey.

The president was shocked after being informed about the tragedy, a statement from the Presidential Palace said.

A ship ferrying the Afghans to Europe sunk in the sea near Istanbul on Monday, leaving many dead, including 23 Afghans.

Six people were rescued and another 13 were still missing while the bodies of 23 others have been recovered.

President Ashraf Ghani extended his condolences to the bereaved families and ordered the MoFA to ensure bodies of the ill-fated Afghans were brought to the country.

The boat was reportedly heading to Bulgaria or Romania, with the migrants having paid smugglers more than $8,700 apiece to try to reach Europe in search of a better life, according to the Voice of America.

The boat was carrying 42 illegal migrants, including 12 children and seven women, along with a Turkish captain, said a report on the Hurriyet news website.

“They had life jackets. But there were bodies everywhere. Babies, children… We pulled out 15-20 bodies,” fisherman Kadir Sert told Hurriyet.

nh/ma

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