A Gambian wrestler, Ali Mbengu has died while trying to cross the Mediterranean to reach Italy.  The 22-year-old wrestler drowned last Friday when the boat he was travelling in capsized,  Pateh Nying said. 


Mr Nying said the wrestler, also known as "Mille Franc" (Thousand Francs), had left for Libya in 2014. 

"His plan was to cross to Italy by boat. One of the survivors called his brother and informed him about the incident. The caller told the brother that only 10 people survived when the boat capsized on the high seas," his coach has told AFP. 

A spokesman for The Gambia Wrestling Federation, Matarr Saine, said the entire wrestling community was in mourning:

"He was one of the most disciplined wrestlers in the country and he was really committed to the sport.

"We are discouraging young people, especially wrestlers, from embarking on this risky journey. It is claiming the lives of our sportsmen and women who can contribute positively to national development."