CAIRO: Egyptian security forces arrested a boat owner and his accomplice allegedly responsible for two boats full of illegal immigrants that capsized last week off Egypt’s coast.
The two are facing charges of cooperating to illegally transport young people abroad, killing 10 passengers and jeopardizing the lives of the rest as well as using the boat for a purpose for which it is not licensed, according to local news reports.
The Egyptian Coast Guard stopped two boats last Tuesday carrying more than 70 people and headed to the Italian coast.
The guards were able to arrest 23 from the governorates of Sharqeya, Daqahleya, Beheira and Gharbeya, while the rest were able to escape.
Illegal immigration is a growing problem in Egypt among young people who try to immigrate in the hopes of finding jobs and a better future abroad. Italy is the most popular destination for illegal immigrants.
In November 2007, 22 Egyptians died off the coast of Italy. Eleven died when a boat carrying 160 capsized on its way from the coast of Libya to Europe.
In January 2007 Egypt had signed a protocol with Italy to regulate immigrant labor. But according to local press reports on November of the same year, since its activation in March, 2,400 Egyptians were deported from Italy back to Egypt.
“Illegal immigration is a major problem facing us, all those young people with their hope, energy and education can’t find a legitimate job in Egypt so they go looking elsewhere, said Chairman of Nahda University Seddik Afifi.
“Educators should ask themselves, ‘are we doing the right thing and preparing our graduates correctly?’ We need to arm them with the skills needed in the market nowadays so that they would find jobs upon graduation whether locally or internationally, he added.
In an attempt to combat illegal immigration, the government announced plans to establish schools for vocational education in the governorate of Fayyoum.
The schools are a joint project between the Ministry of State for Family and Population Affairs, the Ministry of Manpower and Immigration and the Italian Cooperation in Egypt, the ministry of population said in a statement.
Known for being a prime source of illegal immigrants, Fayyoum was chosen for the project.
Young people would learn handicraft skills and produce their own goods which they can sell to earn a living, the ministry statement said. Consequently, it adds, the students won’t resort to immigration as a means of finding jobs.
