Egypt mourned with deep sorrow the victims of a migrant boat that sank off the coast of Greece.
The boat, which was carrying hundreds of illegal migrants, including Egyptians, sailed from Libya’s coast to Europe.
In a statement released on Friday, the Foreign Ministry said the Egyptian Embassy in Athens is following up with the relevant Greek authorities around the clock the search for missing persons and the recovery of those who drowned, to know the identity and exact numbers of Egyptian victims.
The embassy is also following up the situation of Egyptian survivors whose identities have been determined in order to provide them with the necessary care, the ministry added.
The ministry reiterated Egypt’s strong condemnation of exploiting the needs of some who are looking for better life and jobs by human trafficking gangs to endanger their lives.
In this regard, the ministry pointed to the decisive measures taken by Egypt over the past years to counter illegal migration, including the enactment of deterrent laws to punish those who are involved in human trafficking.
Egypt expresses its sincere condolences and sympathy to those who lost their lives in this tragic incident that occurred on Wednesday and left at least 78 people dead, according to the ministry’s statement.
