At least 24 migrants dead after boat capsizes in Aegean Sea off Turkey’s coast

At least 24 people drowned early Wednesday after a boat carrying illegal immigrants trying to reach Europe capsized off western Turkey, local media reported.

The speed boat carrying 30 illegal migrants sank 10 miles offshore from the Tavakli village in Turkey's northwestern Canakkale province due to unknown reasons.

The boat's captain told the coastguard at 02:00 am local time (2300 GMT): "We are sinking. There are 30 people in the boat," before contact was cut off, according to the private Dogan news agency.

Turkish coastguard recovered 24 dead bodies and rescued 12 immigrants including citizens of Syria, Burma and Afghanistan. The search and rescue operation was still continuing.

The boat that sank off Turkey's Aegean coast was supposed to take the illegal immigrants to the Greek island of Lesbos, Dogan reported.

Rescuers were continuing the search.

Turkey has become a hub for illegal immigrants who aspire to cross into European countries for better lives. Neighbouring Greece is the busiest entry point for illegal immigrants trying to reach the European Union.

Wednesday 31 July 2013

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130731/24-dead-boat-carrying-illegal-immigrants-sinks-turkey

India: 2 killed, over 40 feared drowned as bus falls into canal

Two passengers were killed and at least 42 feared drowned after a Punjab roadways bus fell into a canal near Sirhind in Fatehgarh Sahib district of Punjab in the wee hours today, police said. The ill-fated bus was on its way from Delhi to Amritsar when the mishap took place around 2 am, police said.

The bus was swept in the gushing canal water about three kms downstream before getting stuck at Saundh headworks from where Bhakra Main Line Canal and Narwana Canal get separated, officials said. Before plunging into the canal, the bus broke the railing along the national highway close to the floating restaurant near Sirhind.

Official sources said at least 45 passengers had boarded the bus from Delhi late last night. Two bodies have been fished out from the canal waters, Fatehgarh Sahib SSP Gurmeet Singh Chauhan said. The bus had been pulled out of the canal with the help of cranes, police said. Meanwhile, authorities have sounded an alert along Bhakra Main Line canal, Narwana canal and Sirhind feeder so that the bodies of other passengers could be fished out after being located.

Police and civil administration, along with divers, including from Army, are involved in search operations as it is expected that the bodies could have been swept up to some 30 kms in the canal, officials said. Unconfirmed sources said between 40 to 45 passengers were feared drowned. However, the SSP said it was too early to confirm the death toll in the mishap.

Wednesday 31 July 2013

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/2-killed-over-40-feared-drowned-as-bus-falls-into-canal/1149212/

Nine unidentified bodies on Delhi streets everyday: govt data

An average nine unidentified bodies, largely of drug addicts and beggars, are recovered from the streets of the national capital every day.

According to a recent data of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), out of a total 37,838 unidentified bodies found across the country during the year 2012, 3,359 were found in Delhi, an average of nine bodies per day.

Wednesday 31 July 2013

http://www.ptinews.com/news/3850085_Nine-unidentified-bodies-on-Delhi-streets-everyday--govt-data-