Latest news with #Durres
Daily Mail
02-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
British tourist killed and their partner is seriously ill after falling from jet ski they were riding in the sea off Albania
A British tourist has died while another is in critical condition after jet-skiing in Albania. The 34-year-old man was confirmed dead by coastguards, who believe he lost control of the machine and came off his water scooter. A 31-year-old woman was also seriously injured and remains in critical condition in hospital. The holidaymakers were testing 'maneuvers' near the Kavaja Rock area in Durres when they fell into the water yesterday morning, it was reported in local media. An investigation has been launched to uncover the circumstances of the tragic accident. The pair are yet to be publicly identified but have had their initials shared by the police - the man was S.O. and the woman was V.B. The police said: 'Around 11:15, on 01.06.2025, the Port Durres Border Police services were notified that, in the area opposite the Kavaja Rock, two citizens who were sailing on a Jet Ski, are suspected of having lost control of the vessel during maneuvers and fallen into the water. 'The Border Police Services, after receiving the notification, immediately went by watercraft to assist the two citizens who had fallen into the water, transporting them to the port, with the aim of transporting them to the hospital. 'Preliminary verifications by the hospital emergency team, which was waiting at the port, resulted in one of the citizens sailing on the Jet Ski, specifically citizen SO, 34 years old, resident in England, having lost his life, while citizen VB, 31 years old, resident in England, was immediately transported to the hospital in serious condition. 'A special investigative group was immediately established and, under the direction of the Prosecutor's Office, work continues to clarify the circumstances and legally document the case.' However, several outlets had reported at the time the pair were discovered 'during a random patrol' with the vehicle's engine turned off. They added that that it was possible to pair were suffering from hypothermia after they had been at sea for an unknown number of hours, according to information from the port. Another site has reported that the couple were from Ghana but lived in England. The horrifying incident comes only weeks after another British tourist ran in to trouble on a jet ski while in Thailand. Vincent Zammitt, 26, from London, was arrested and fined for allegedly sinking a jet ski off the coast of Phuketin April after he rented the machine for a 30-minute ride. He said he was allowed to set sail into the idyllic turquoise waters, despite the jet ski not undergoing maintenance checks. The holidaymaker was carving up water when the jet ski's warning lights reportedly went off 15 minutes into the ride. The alarmed holidaymaker steered the watercraft back to shore but it capsized, leaving him stranded at sea in shark-infested waters. A rescue team was called to the scene after he failed to return to the beach after 30 minutes. Footage shows volunteers arriving on jet skis to save Mr Zammitt, seen wearing a life vest as he sat on the overturned machine. But Mr Zammitt is convinced that the rental company set him up with a dodgy jet ski to fleece him - and that the police were in on it too. Phuket is among Thailand's most popular tourist destinations known for its stunning beaches and vibrant nightlife. However, it is also a notorious enclave of criminal activity, with greedy locals taking advantage of naive visitors. Jet ski scams have become a notorious money spinner for locals, with rental companies working in cahoots with a few apparently corrupt police to extort vast sums from holiday makers for non-existent damage to the machines.
Sky News
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Sir Keir Starmer in Albania to tackle 'revolving door' of migration
Sir Keir Starmer is in Albania to announce an expanded crackdown on migrant smuggling gangs in the Balkans - a key staging post on the route to Britain. In the first official visit to the country by a UK prime minister, he hopes to reinforce this week's tough message about slashing levels of both legal and illegal migration. Sir Keir is relying on "smashing the gangs" as the government's policy to tackle small boat crossings, which remain at a record high this year; passing the 10,000 mark last month. But working with officials in Albania is seen as a success story in stopping migration at source, partly due to the actions of the previous Conservative government which Sir Keir will build on. In 2022, arrivals from Albania accounted for around a third of all small boat arrivals - a higher number than from any other country. Over the past three years, those numbers have been cut by 95%. The number of Albanians returned to their home country has also more than doubled to 5,294 last year, from just over 2,000 two years' earlier. The prime minister will join Edi Rama, prime minister of Albania since 2013, at the Port of Durres on Thursday to see UK-backed efforts to tackle smuggling gangs and the criminal activities that fund them. A programme to detect migrants attempting to travel using fake or stolen documents will be expanded, with the UK donating new anti- forgery machines. The government will also invest a further £1m in DNA technology to detect serious criminals on the streets of the UK. Sir Keir is also expected to express concerns about a "revolving door effect" in which a migrant is returned home, only to evade law enforcement and leave the country again. He will support programmes in northern Albania - where migrants come from - to reintegrate young people and provide them with employment opportunities, the government said. The prime minister will announce that the joint migration taskforce, with Albania and Kosovo, signed at the end of 2022, will be expanded to include North Macedonia and Montenegro. The National Crime Agency will share intelligence with law enforcement agencies in these countries and deploy UK funded drones to detect gangsters funnelling migrants through the Western Balkans corridor and on to the UK. The countries of the Western Balkans - including Serbia, whose government signed an agreement with Sir Keir last year - have for around five years been the key corridor to Europe for migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Sir Keir will say: "Global challenges need shared solutions, and the work the UK and Albania are doing together is delivering security for working people in both countries. "Our joint work to deter, detect and return illegal migrants is further proof that intervening upstream to protect British shores and secure our borders is the right approach. "Every step we take to tackle illegal migration overseas, cripple the criminal networks that facilitate it and stem the finance streams that fund it is delivering safer streets in the UK, and reducing the strain on taxpayer funded services." On Friday the prime minister will attend the European Political Community summit in the capital Tirana, a forum for European leaders to discuss security challenges in the wake of the war in Ukraine. It's expected to be a chance for the UK to discuss key points of a forthcoming defence pact with the EU and the terms of a "reset" of relations ahead of a summit in London next Monday.
ABC News
10-05-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Jay Vine caught in Giro d'Italia crash that knocks out contender Mikel Landa on stage one
Former world champion Mads Pedersen has grabbed the first pink jersey in the 108th edition of the Giro d'Italia on a bruising day for the Australian challenge in Albania. Danish star Pedersen outsprinted Belgian stand-out Wout van Aert by half a wheel to grab the honours in the opening stage of the Grande Partenza, a hilly 160km trek from Durres to the capital Tirana as the great race went across the Adriatic to Albania for the first time. But Australian ace Jay Vine, fresh from finishing on the podium at the Tour de Romandie, suffered a crash 5 kilometres from home and ended up finishing almost four minutes adrift. At least UAE Team Emirates rider Vine avoided the fate of the luckless Spaniard Mikel Landa, whose crash just ahead of him had prompted the Australian's own spill as he tried to take evasive action. Landa had to be taken away on a stretcher with his race over after crashing into a kerb and tipping over. It was later reported the 35-year-old four-time Grand-Tour stage winner had suffered a fractured vertebra. Queenslander Kaden Groves, who had hoped to get over the climbs still in touch to challenge for the jersey, found the task too taxing, along with plenty of the other top sprinters, as he ended over another minute-and-a-half behind Vine. But the main Australian hope for overall race victory, Tour of the Alps winner Michael Storer, came home safely among the 36-strong leading bunch along with 2022 winner Jai Hindley, Damien Howson and Chris Harper. Lidl-Trek's Pedersen, the 2019 world champ, celebrated his second Giro stage win, having also won in Naples two years ago, but it's the first time in his distinguished career that he's worn the leader's jersey in a Grand Tour. Venezuela's Orluis Aular crossed third. "To win the stage and go into the pink jersey is absolutely amazing, especially after teamwork like this," Pedersen said after ousting the charging Visma-Lease a Bike luminary van Aert. "You always have to be afraid of Wout, he's a really good bike rider. It's not a given to win when he's in the group, and you have to handle that with respect and a bit of fear as well. But today I had the legs to finish it off for the team." One of the other top contenders Juan Ayuso, for whom Vine will be working in the mountains, also crashed early on a roundabout but was unhurt and finished safely in the pack along with race favourite Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe). The race remains in Albania for two more days before it returns to Italy, with stage two on Saturday a 13.7km individual time trial in Tirana, where race favourite Primoz Roglic will be expected to shine. AAP
New York Times
09-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Mads Pedersen wins first stage of Giro d'Italia as Mikel Landa crashes out
Danish rider Mads Pedersen won the first stage of the Giro d'Italia in a sprint finish to take the race's first Maglia Rosa. The former world champion powered through a small group of favourites in Tirana after his Lidl-Trek team rode aggressively to significantly reduce the peloton. This pink jersey is the first time Pedersen has led a Grand Tour. Advertisement However, the general classification (GC) competition was rocked with just over five kilometers to go when podium contender Mikel Landa crashed on a tight left-hander. UAE Team Emirates domestique Jay Vine was also caught up in the collision. Vine recovered to finish the 164km stage but Landa, who was slated to lead Soudal Quick-Step, remained on the ground in agony. He was carried away from the crash site on a stretcher and has officially abandoned the race. Landa only extended his contract with the team until the end of 2026 on Wednesday. #ForzaMikel Our rider has been taken to the hospital for investigations after the crash that put an end to his dreams at the #GirodItalia. — Soudal Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (@soudalquickstep) May 9, 2025 The first three stages of the Giro are taking place in Albania, with the first stage passing between the country's two largest cities, Durres and Tirana. Its bumpy route and Lidl-Trek's high pace meant Pedersen was the class of a 30-man bunch. The 29-year-old had been a favourite for the stage, having performed well in the Spring Classics, winning Gent–Wevelgem in March. 'It was like you saw on TV,' Pedersen said after Stage One. 'That was exactly the plan. Ride hard and make it a small group.' Visma Lease a Bike's Wout van Aert finished second, despite suffering from illness in the lead-up to the Giro. He could move into the race lead with a strong performance in Saturday's 13.7km time trial in Tirana. GC favourites Primoz Roglic and Juan Ayuso finished safely in the leading group — though Ayuso had a minor fall earlier in the day — but hopefuls Derek Gee and Thymen Arensman lost significant time after surprisingly dropping on the day's final climb. 𝗡𝗢 𝗣𝗨𝗘𝗗𝗘 𝗦𝗘𝗥 😨😨😨 Caída durísima de Mikel Landa cuando tan solo quedaban 5 kilómetros para el final de la etapa Pinta feo, muy feo 🙏#GirodItalia — (@Eurosport_ES) May 9, 2025 (Photo of Mads Pedersen: Luca Bettini/AFP via Getty Images)
The Independent
09-05-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Giro d'Italia LIVE: Stage one set for fierce fight to claim maglia rosa as race begins in Albania
The opening stage, a 160km run from the port town of Durres to the Albanian capital Tirana, is unlikely to be a battleground for the title contenders, however. The sprinters may be eyeing up the finish but it's the likes of all-rounders Wout van Aert and Tom Pidcock who are the favourites to get over the punchy hills and have enough left in the legs to fight for the maglia rosa at the end of the day.
