PERMET, Albania: Eight individuals lost their lives in a car accident in southern Albania, early Tuesday, with authorities indicating that seven of the victims were suspected migrants.
The fatal accident occurred near the southern Albanian city of Permet, just a short distance from the border with Greece, when the Albanian driver lost control of the vehicle.
Reports suggest that a police patrol had attempted to stop the vehicle for an inspection, prompting the driver to accelerate in an attempt to flee. However, the car veered off the road and plunged into the Vjosa River.
Authorities revealed that the passengers in the vehicle had recently crossed the border between Greece and Albania, highlighting the perilous journey undertaken by migrants seeking refuge in Europe.
Albania serves as a transit country along the so-called Balkan route, a major pathway utilized by hundreds of thousands of individuals escaping conflict and poverty in regions such as Africa, Asia, and the Middle East with hopes of reaching the European Union.
According to figures from the European border agency Frontex, nearly 100,000 migrants utilized the Balkan route between January and October 2023, underscoring the scale of migration and the challenges associated with border management and humanitarian assistance in the region.
