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18 illegal immigrants killed in Turkey road crash

Sun Oct 5, 2008 5:44 AM EDT
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Associated Press
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ANKARA — A truck packed with illegal immigrants from Afghanistan and Myanmar overturned in western Turkey on Sunday, killing 18 people and injuring 23, authorities said.

The accident occurred near the town of Malkara, about 60 miles west of Istanbul, when the driver apparently lost control, authorities said. No other vehicles were involved, authorities said.

The back of the truck had hidden compartments for smuggling people, the state-run Anatolia news agency said, reporting from the scene.

Gov. Aydin Nezih Dogan of Tekirdag province said the driver of the truck fled after the accident. Dogan said all the immigrants were planning to sneak into Greece.

Turkey is a major transit point for migrants attempting to reach Europe illegally.

© 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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caroaber

How telling that a focus of this article is the "illegal" status of these migrants. That word could have been removed and replaced by "smuggled," and the facts of the article would remain the same.

    Reply#1 - Sun Oct 5, 2008 9:29 AM EDT
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