Romania’s coast guard rescues 70 Iraqi and Syrian immigrants

 

(IraqiNews.com) Romania’s coast guard announced Saturday, that 70 migrants, mostly from Iraq and Syria, have been saved from drowning while they were trying to cross to Europe using a fishing boat, indicating that they are currently undergoing medical tests and they can apply for asylum.

Coast guard spokesman Marius Akonescu said in an interview for Reuters, “The coast guard was able to rescue 70 migrants, mostly Syrians and Iraqis; they were hiding in a fishing boat that was in danger of sinking, attempting to cross to Europe near the Romanian coast.

Akonescu stated, “The boat set sail from Istanbul in Turkey and was found 16 km away from the Romanian coast,” adding that, “The coast guard was able to help the migrants, including 20 women and seven children, to anchor the boat in the Romanian port of Constanta.”

Akonescu indicated that the immigrants tried to get to Romania by sea and are now undergoing medical tests and they can apply for asylum.