Nine would-be immigrants trying to cross the Mediterranean aboard a homemade boat were intercepted on Saturday morning 11 miles off Annaba (600km east of Algiers), Coast Guard said.
All from Sidi-Salem, in the municipality of El Bouni, the young "harragas” (would-be immigrants), aged 20-25, were surprised at 5:45 am by the Coast Guard while conducting a routine patrol, said the same source.
The arrest of nine young people was made without incident.
In total, 117 illegal immigrants were arrested in similar circumstances off Annaba since the beginning of last month, the source said, noting that at a recent interception at sea, four (4) young people were rescued and saved by the Coast Guard when the other three are still missing.