Immigrants thrown overboard off Italian coast

Italian police have arrested five Nigerian traffickers accused of throwing 13 illegal immigrants off their boat because of fears that they brought bad luck.

Twelve of the victims, all men, were from Nigeria and one from Ghana. All are presumed dead.

The sources said survivors from the boat – which arrived in Sicily carrying 59 immigrants on Sept. 11 – reported that the 13 had been thrown overboard alive after part of the ship's navigation equipment broke down.

The five men arrested have been accused of aggravated multiple murder.

"Some horrifying details have emerged from our investigation," state prosecutor Ugo Rossi was quoted as saying by ANSA news agency.

"Food and water were running out so it is possible that these desperate 13 people were thrown into the sea alive using superstition as a pretext," he said.

- Reuters