Sea Washes Migrant Boat Ashore in Israel

The sea washed a rubber boat, empty of passengers, ashore in Israel today, Sunday, appearing to carry only the belongings of potential migrants. Israeli authorities reported that they found the boat on the Mediterranean coast near the city of Netanya, containing only a messy pile of personal effects, food, water, and travel documents, including those of three individuals from Somalia. The police indicated that they are searching the nearby waters for signs of survivors. Among the belongings found on the boat were what appeared to be clothing, an air pump, and several temporary inflatable life rafts. The police explained they are investigating the travel documents they discovered. The International Organization for Migration, a United Nations agency, reports that over 187,000 people have crossed the Mediterranean Sea since the beginning of the current year, with 2,093 fatalities recorded along the Central Mediterranean route.