The Romanian coastguard intercepted on Sunday, August 13, a boat carrying 69 Iraqi migrants in the Romanian waters of the Black Sea.

Around 07:00, border police officers from the Black Sea Integrated Surveillance System – SCOMAR have spotted a suspicious boat in the Black Sea, which was sailing under a Turkish flag, about 10 miles from Mangalia port.

A boat of the Romanian coastguard intercepted the motorized yacht, and escorted it to shore.

Following a preliminary investigation, the border police officers found that the boat was carrying 69 migrants from Iraq, namely 30 men, 10 women and 29 minors. The boat was driven by two people, namely a Bulgarian and a Cypriot.

The investigation continues in this case.

Data from the Border Police showed that some 2,500 foreign citizens tried to cross the Romanian border illegally in the first six months of 2017. This is almost five times higher than the numbers reported in the same period of 2016, namely 507.

Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Politiadefrontiera.ro)