Afghan journalist Amarkhel dies in Italian shipwreck

KABUL (Pajhwok): A female journalist from Afghanistan has lost her life along with four members of her family in last week’s shipwreck in Italy.

A boat carrying 180 migrants crashed against rocks on the southern Italian coast in Crotone city, according to media reports and the Afghan embassy in Italy.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul said 80 Afghan citizens, including women and children, lost their lives in the incident.

Torpekai Amarkhel, a female Afghan journalist, and four members of her family were among those killed in the accident. A sixth member of her family has since been missing.

Noorullah, the brother of the journalist, confirmed to the BBC the killing of his sister, his niece, her husband, daughter and son. He said their bodies had been found but one of his relatives was still missing.

Noorullah said a rescue team was striving to find the missing one. According to him, his relatives were traveling from Turkey to Italy.

Amarkhel had worked as a journalist for 15 years for the National Radio/Television and several other media outlets. She left Afghanistan last year.

sa/mud