Gambia football star who dreamed of playing for top European club drowns trying to cross from Libya as 240 migrants die in Mediterranean in 48 hours * Footballer Fatim Jawara, 19, is believed to have been on board a ship hit by a storm in the Mediterranean
* The goalkeeper played for the Gambian national team and was chasing a dream of competing in Europe
* Comes as it emerged 240 migrants have died in two shipwrecks off the coast of Libya in recent days
By Julian Robinson for MailOnline and Associated Press
Published: 09:38 EST, 3 November 2016 | Updated: 22:03 EST, 3 November 2016
A Gambian goalkeeper who dreamed of playing football in Europe drowned trying to cross the Mediterranean from Libya, it emerged last night.
Fatim Jawara, 19, is believed to have been on board a ship that was hit by a storm on the treacherous crossing to Italy last week.
The footballer, who played for the Gambian national team, told her family she wanted to 'follow her destiny' and play for a European club, the Guardian reported. ...
News of her death emerged hours after it was revealed that more than 240 migrants have drowned in two shipwrecks off the coast of Libya in the last 48 hours.
Both of the overcrowded rubber dinghies overturned in heavy seas about 25 miles off the coast of Libya killing most of those on board, survivors said.
It comes as dramatic pictures emerged of two rescue missions off Libya today, with close to 180 people pulled to safety. Desperate refugees could be seen leaping into the water as rescue ships arrived - and then frantically trying to clamber back on board.
The deaths today bring to 4,220 the number of migrants who have died or gone missing trying to cross the Mediterranean on their way to Europe this year. ...
Excerpted - read the rest at Daily Mail
