Tragedy struck off the coast of Italy Thursday morning, where dozens of migrants have died when the boat they were travelling in was destroyed in a shipwreck. In an increasingly dangerous situation, those fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and Africa are facing great risks as they make the journey toward a better life in Europe.
Tragedy Off Italian Coast
Early Thursday morning, a boat carrying more than 100 migrants seeking a better life for themselves and their families in Europe, was destroyed in a shipwreck off the coast of Libya, in the Mediterranean Sea. The tragedy resulted in the death of roughly two dozen people as of Thursday afternoon, with many still missing. The Italian Coast Guard was able to rescue 73 migrants.
“The sea has once again been stained with blood from the tragedy of some people who were trying to reach Italy fleeing war and poverty,” Luigi Di Maio, Italy’s foreign minister, said in a Facebook post.
The Death Count Expected to Rise
Though the current death toll is around two dozen people, the Huffington Post reports that the number is expected to increase due to the number of missing migrants that haven’t been accounted for yet. The number of those unaccounted for could go into the dozens, given the size of the boat and the fact that only 73 people were rescued.
“These aren’t numbers or statistics,” Di Maio wrote in his post. “Behind them there are human lives, people made of dreams, aspirations, and hope.”
Growing Migrant Crisis in Europe
This is far from the first wreck of its kind, and won’t be the last. According to the U.N. Refugee Agency, 164 ships have gone missing in the Mediterranean this year, with an additional 250 reported deaths. Many of these migrants come from the Middle East and Africa, seeking refuge from war and poverty in their homelands.
Groups working to provide aid to those coming to Europe are calling on the international community to provide more assistance with the growing crisis.
The International Response
In response to the tragedy, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte called for immediate action from the international community.
“It is unsustainable for Europe if it does not take up the responsibility of intervening to stop the deaths [of migrants],” he said in a meeting this afternoon.
Conte called for Europe to work together to create a unified, organized response to the migrant crisis and urged the countries of the European Union to open their borders for migrants. He also called for an international fleet to protect those in danger of fleeing their war-torn homes.
The Need for More Support
Organizations such as Doctors Without Borders have been heavily involved in providing aid to those attempting to flee their war-torn and poverty-stricken homelands. Groups like Doctors Without Borders have asked for more support and assistance in providing aid.
Other organizations such as United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) have asked for support in helping those already in Europe, stating that closing borders is not the right approach.
The death of dozens of migrants in the recent shipwreck off the coast of Italy serves as a harsh reminder of the tragedy taking place each and every day in the Mediterranean Sea. As the number of corpses pulled from the sea continues to rise, so does the urgency for the international community to respond with a strategy to protect those fleeing from war and poverty.
Aid organizations such as Doctors Without Borders and United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) are pushing for international collaboration to provide assistance to those seeking refuge. Until something is done, the tragedy of this morning’s shipwreck will sadly continue to be repeated until further action is taken.
