Mediterranean: growing number of migrants rescued at the gates of Europe
The Ocean Viking humanitarian rescue vessel, chartered by the NGO SOS Méditerranée.
AFP - GIOVANNI ISOLINO
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
More than 260 people have been rescued in the Mediterranean as they attempted the crossing in makeshift boats, and another 500 were intercepted by Libyan authorities before they could sail away from the coast.
All these people were trying to flee Libya and win Europe at all costs.
On Sunday April 24, the ship of the NGO SOS Méditerranée was able to rescue 164 people.
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The mild weather is probably the reason for so
many departures
in such a short time: "
There are departures all year round, but it is certain that as soon as there are weather windows, there there are many more departures, that's a phenomenon that can be seen all over the world, including in the Channel,
explains François Thomas, president of SOS Méditerranée
.
So as soon as there are weather windows, people leave, what they call the Libyan hell pushes them to attempt the crossing and take these risks.
»
People who have been
rescued
recently come from Sudan, Guinea, Mali, Eritrea: “
We really feel very small because last February our ship Ocean Viking carried out four rescues in less than 24 hours.
»
Too little mobilization on the part of European states
The president of SOS Méditerranée specifies that there is a citizen mobilization which allows the NGO's ships to be present, but that there should be a mobilization of the European States.
“
There is a real infernal counter that never stops.
Since the beginning of the year, more than 500 people have lost their lives in the central Mediterranean.
Our interventions save lives, but this is totally insufficient in relation to this tragedy.
»
The central Mediterranean is the most dangerous migration route in the world, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The UN agency estimates the number of dead and missing since 2014 at more than 23,500, including 2,048 last year.
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To listen: On the deadliest migration route in the world
(with
AFP
)
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