500 African asylum seekers fear dead as boat caught fire in the middle of sea

Date: 06-10-2013 7:10 am (10 years ago) | Author: Abraham Dickson
- at 6-10-2013 07:10 AM (10 years ago)
(m)
Three hundred people were feared dead after a boat carrying up to 500 African asylum seekers caught fire and sank off Italian shores in the worst recent refugee disaster in the Mediterranean.

Rescuers and local fishermen were overcome with emotion as they spoke of chaotic early morning scenes in the water off the Italian island of Lampedusa, with “a sea of heads” as desperate refugees waved their arms and screamed.

There were also stories of survival such as a young Eritrean woman thought dead and laid out with other corpses before medical personnel realised she was still breathing and revived her.

A UN official blamed a repressive policy towards illegal immigrants for the tragedy, while UN chief Ban Ki-moon said he hoped the disaster would be a “spur to action” to protecting migrants’ rights, and improving the public perception of immigrants.

Read details: http://www.naijacenter.com/500-african-asylum-seekers-fear-dead-boat-caught-fire-middle-sea-italy/
Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano initially reported “93 victims, including three children and two pregnant women”, but rescue divers later said they had identified at least 40 more bodies in and around the sunken wreck.

With only 150 survivors plucked from the water more than 12 hours after the disaster, there were fears that the final toll could rise further to 300 or more people.

“Seeing the bodies of the children was a tragedy. We have run out of coffins,” said Pietro Bartolo, a doctor. “In many years of work here, I have never seen anything like this,” he said.

Lampedusa is one of the main entry points into the European Union for asylum-seekers crossing from north Africa or the eastern Mediterranean.

Migreurop, a network of immigration charities, estimates 17,000 migrants have died at sea trying to reach Europe in the past 20 years, crossing on rickety fishing boats or dinghies.

Survivors said they were from Eritrea and Somalia and had left from the Libyan port of Misrata.


Posted: at 6-10-2013 07:10 AM (10 years ago) | Upcoming

fire TRENDING GISTS fire

TODAY'S TOP
  1. FAAN Shuts Down KFC Outlet At The Lagos Airport Over Discriminatory Treatment of Ex Gov's Son

  2. Netizens React As a Catholic Reverend Sister is Spotted in Public Drinking Alcohol (Video)

  3. Man Emmanuel Okpara Arrested For Reportedly B£ating His Wife to D£ath in Lagos

  4. Binance Executives Drag NSA Ribadu, EFCC To Court

  5. Rapper, Cynthia Morgan Reveals Why She Was Never S3xually Harassed in The Industry

  6. See List: Nigeria, Egypt Named Among World’s Lowest Salary Earners

  7. A Thief Who Robbed me Was Dating The Police Officer in Charge of my Case – Lady Recounts Ordeal

  8. Singer Waje Expresses Pride as Her Daughter, Emerald Turns 25, Pens Emotional Note to Her

  9. Court Awards Late Biafran Leader, Ojukwu's Will to Bianca, Throws Out First Son, Debe's Case

  10. VIDEO: NAFDAC Raids Factory Where Fake Bottled Water is Produced in Port Harcourt

  11. Nigerian Man Videos The Living Condition of Immigrants Who Were Not Granted Asylum in Portugal


THIS WEEK
  1. Russia President Putin Shocks Many As He Announces That Jesus And Mary Were Black

  2. Ex Chelsea Star, Geremi Njitap Files For Divorce After DNA Reveal He Isn't Father Of Their Twin

  3. Netizens React To Influencer, Enioluwa’s Alleged Leaked S*x Tape

  4. Kim Kardashian Finally Opens Up On Why She Divorced Kanye West

  5. Selena Gomez Shares Sexy Photo As She Put On A Very BUsty Display

  6. Man Videos Himself Taking His Own Life on Facebook Because His Girlfriend Cheated on Him

  7. Photos: Customs Officers Attacked By Suspected Smugglers In Adamawa

  8. "Why I Broke Up With My Girlfriend When I Became A Star" – Singer, Asake

  9. 44Yr Old Bassirou Faye Wins Senegal's Presidential Election, Defeats 62Yr Old Ex Prime Minister

  10. Stop Harassïng Enioluwa, I'm The One in The Leaked S*x Tape - US P0rn Star, Briggs Speaks (VID)


TOP MEMBERS: