A fatal car crash claimed eight lives, with seven of the victims suspected to be migrants in southeast Albania.
On Tuesday, a tragic incident occurred in southeastern Albania as a car veered off the road and plunged into a river, resulting in the deaths of all eight occupants.
Among the victims were seven suspected migrants along with a local driver, as confirmed by Albanian police.
According to a police statement, the driver lost control of the vehicle and it plunged into the Vjosa River around 4 a.m., approximately 150 miles southeast of Tirana, the capital.
Seven of the victims were suspected migrants, referred to as “from third countries” by police.
Ardian Cipa, the regional police chief, explained that the car didn’t stop at a police checkpoint but instead sped away.
Subsequently, a police vehicle pursued it and found that it had crashed into the river.
Cipa stated, “The driver is suspected to be from Shkodra, and the others are suspected migrants who often use this route,” declining to provide further details until the investigation concludes.
Shkodra is situated in the northwest, approximately 300 kilometers (186 miles) from the location of the accident.
Albania is not a primary route for migrants, but small groups from Arab countries or Asia utilize it to reach Italy by sea or other neighboring countries by land.
In 2019, Albania made history as the first non-EU member nation to enlist officers from the bloc’s border agency, Frontex, to oversee its southern and eastern borders, frequently traversed by migrants, and to combat cross-border criminal activities.
Furthermore, in February, Albania’s Parliament approved a pact enabling the country to accommodate thousands of asylum seekers destined for Italy.
In February, Albania’s Parliament endorsed an agreement for the country to host thousands of asylum seekers intended for Italy.
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