Missing Person Alert

Circumstances

Date of Disappearance

May 24, 2007

Notes

Karim did not tell his family his plans to leave and they were surprised when they could not find him at home. They eventually reached him by phone at hwich point he told them he was in a boat with six others. A group of seven young men were traveling together by boat when on May 29 it was apparently intercepted in Tunisian waters. One of the young men contacted his family from the boat and told them they were being blocked and could not move. He thought they were in Tunisia waters and later said they were being taken into custody. The family alerted the other parents and together they contacted the Algerian coast guard who said they would reach out to their Tunisian counterparts. They later told the families that a boat had been detained near Kelibia with seven men on board but that one appeared ill. The families quickly rushed to Tunisia where they began asking the local coast guard and police for information on the boat. They were initially told that no such boat had been found but were later infomed by police that only one man was discovered on board the boat, a Hadef Riad, and he was deceased (this was the name of one of the seven young men). They again denied that the other six men had been recovered. The families however were later told that six men had been rescued and were sent to the hospital but that they were then taken into police custody. The Algerian coast guard told the victim's mother that she should not worry as the six were alive and would be returned from Tunisia within 20 days. There has been no further information.

Location of the Disappearance or Crime Scene

Boat

Potential Circumstances

Refugee Boat

Vehicle

License Plate

Photo of Vehicle

Suspect

Suspect Description

Photo of Suspect