Narrow escape

The Bangladesh Embassy in Cairo has released an initial report detailing the survival of 29 Europe-bound Bangladeshi migrants rescued off Egypt’s Marsa Matrouh after drifting in the Mediterranean for 10 days.

In a report sent on Sunday, the embassy said local police rescued the group on Aug 13 when their rubber boat drifted off course after launching from Tobruk, Libya, towards Greece with the aid of a human trafficking ring.

Eighteen of the rescued migrants were admitted to Marsa Matrouh General Hospital in critical condition after losing consciousness.

Embassy First Secretary (Labour) Md Zakir Hossain contacted police and hospital officials after receiving the news and learnt that all 29 migrants remain in hospital receiving treatment under police supervision.

Zakir later spoke with one survivor, Abdul Karim, with the help of a hospital employee.

Karim recounted that 42 migrants -- 38 Bangladeshis and four Sudanese nationals�"set sail from Tobruk on Aug 3 aboard a rubber boat fitted with a speedboat engine but lacking navigation gear.

Traffickers assured them the crossing to Greece would take 36 hours.

Lacking navigation tools and running out of fuel, the boat, however, drifted off course and floated helplessly in the sea for 10 days before washing ashore at Marsa Matrouh. According to Karim, extreme heat, blistering sun, and a lack of food and water killed 10 people during the ordeal, nine Bangladeshis and one Sudanese national.�" bdnews24