Paddy Agnew in Rome
Albania yesterday declared a national day of mourning following the deaths of 20 illegal immigrants who died at sea on Friday night after the boat in which they were attempting to cross the Otranto Channel between Italy and Albania broke down.
Left stranded in a stormy, surging sea blown by icy winds of up to 50 knots, 20 people on the boat died, presumably from exposure.
Some 11 people on the 27 foot long boat managed to survive the gruelling ordeal, while Albanian police yesterday said that another seven people were still unaccounted for and are now feared dead.
The alarm was raised by someone on the boat who managed to phone in an SOS message to Albanian television station Top Channel TV.
This message was in turn passed on to Italian navy officials, who are in permanent service in the Albanian port of Durres as part of a joint initiative aimed at blocking the traffic in illegal immigrants.
Night and the rough seas hindered the rescue operation and it was only at first light on Saturday morning that the Italian navy helicopters and coastguard patrol boats were able to locate the stricken boat.
Albanian authorities later arrested five people in connection with the tragedy, including two survivors who are believed to belong to the gang which organised the intended passage of the illegal immigrants to the coast of Puglia, in the south-east of Italy
Also arrested was the deputy director of the port of Vlora and two police officers from the inland town of Scutari, from where many of those on the boat had originally set out.
According to Italian media reports yesterday, the two police officers were also close relatives of one of the two alleged gang members found on the stricken boat. Albanian police believe the boat was on its "maiden voyage" across the Otranto Channel, having recently been bought by a gang member in Italy.
Italian navy officials suggested that the boat's powerful engines probably failed because of a combination of the high seas, huge waves and dangerous overloading.
Many Albanians have lost their lives, usually because of their inadequate boats, throughout the last decade of constant illegal immigration between Italy and Albania.