ImageCourtesy: theguardian.com
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has called for more European Union action and detailed investigation on sea migration, after the latest deadly capsize of a boat in the Mediterranean Sea.
A 20m (70ft) long vessel was believed to be carrying up to 700 migrants, and only 28 survivors have been rescued as the boat capsized amidst. The EU foreign ministers and other associated officials are expected to address the issue at a meeting later and remained unavailable for comment. The Italian coastguard confirmed that the vessel carrying the 24 coffins of victims of the sinking will arrive in the Italian city of Malta soon.
Human smugglers and other notorious gangs have been supposedly taking advantage of the political crisis and weak economy in the nation of Libya to use it as a launching point for boats and other vessels carrying migrants who are fleeing violence or economic hardship in Africa and the Middle-eastern countries. Around 1,500 migrants have been feared to be dead this year alone owing to the cases of drowning.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said the latest sinking could amount to the largest loss of life during a migrant crossing to Europe, along with provoking fear in the minds of people. PM Renzi marked Libya as the key and single huge problem, saying it was the starting point for about 90% of the migrants reaching Italy by sea. He further stated that more rescue boats was not the issue that required much concern, rather it was stopping the boats from departing.
The latest boat sank late on Saturday night, around 130 miles (210km) off the Italian island of Lampedusa and 17 miles from the Libyan coast. So far only 24 corpses have been retrieved. The migrants reportedly fell overboard in an attempt to draw the attention of the passing Portuguese merchant ship King Jacob, causing their ship to capsize and turn over. One of the survivors being treated at the Cannizzaro hospital in Catania, Sicily, said there were as many as 950 people aboard, although this has not been officially verified. He said many were locked below decks and not allowed to leave.
Further investigations followed by statements to the media are expected to come-in soon.
Tags: Europian Union
