A total of 700 people are feared dead after a boat carrying migrants capsized off the coast of Libya on Sunday (19/4). As a result of this incident, the European Union countries are urged to conduct a special meeting to discuss the fate of migrants
Times of Malta reported that 28 people were rescued in the incident. Boat capsized in the waters off Libya or 120 miles south of the island of Lampedusa, Italy. As reported by Reuters on Monday (04/20/2015).
State of emergency declared at midnight. The ship is believed to be capsized when migrants move to one side of the boat to the other side when the merchant ship approaching.
Local officials stated that this incident is the worst disaster due to the migrant crisis that occurred in the Mediterranean region. This event invites a reaction from Italy.
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi asked fellow EU leaders to conduct an emergency meeting related to the problem of migrants in the week.
Meanwhile, Pope Francis stated this migrant boat capsize incident, that the migrants were not different from us.
"They are men and women like us, our brothers and sisters who seek a better life, starving, abused, injured, exploited, victims of war. They were looking for a better life," the pope told tens of thousands of people in St. Peter's Square, Vatican.
"Until now, we are concerned this is a tragedy that is really sad," said Carlotta Sami, spokesman for UNHCR, the UN agency that provides protection and assistance to refugees in the world, as reported by Reuters.
There is no further information regarding this event, both from the Italian coast guard or navy.
Not long ago, on Tuesday (14/4) and around 400 migrants were killed in the incident capsized ship in the waters of the Mediterranean while trying to reach Italy.
Boat carrying about 550 migrants was capsized about 24 hours after leaving Libya.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), based in Geneva, prior to this incident, there were approximately 500 deaths immigrants who try to cross the Mediterranean from Africa to Europe this year.
Share this
EmoticonEmoticon