Italy rescues at least 1,400 migrants in 2 days

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Last edited Fri Jan 2, 2015, 06:05 PM - Edit history (1)

By Staff Writers, teleSUR
teleSUR
Friday, Jan 2, 2015


About 160,000 migrants landed in Italy in November, and 40,000 in Greece, while thousands more died during their attempt. | Photo: Reuters

In both cases, the boats had been previously abandoned by the crew before heading dangerously to the Italian coast.

A second abandoned ship with some 400 migrants on board was rescued on Italian coasts on Thursday, bringing the total number of migrants rescued to at least 1,400 in two days.

The boat, which was flying a Sierra Leone flag was found without crew as it headed toward Puglia in the south-east of Italy.

On Wednesday, another abandoned boat with almost 1,000 migrants – mostly Syrian refugees – arrived in the southern port of Gallipoli, Italy.

Full article: http://axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/Article_68870.shtml


Published on
Friday, January 02, 2015
byCommon Dreams

Exemplifying Brutal New Trend, Hundreds of Refugees Cast Adrift Off Italian Coast
Over 450 people rescued on Friday following deadliest year on record for migrants
bySarah Lazare, staff writer

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A photograph taken by the Icelandic coastguard of the Ezadeen. (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)

A ship carrying over 450 migrants, most believed to be Syrian refugees, was rescued by Italian vessels from the Mediterranean Sea on Friday after it was abandoned by its crew in rough waters, set on a collision course for the Italian coast.

The incident marks the second time in just four days that a vessel loaded with migrants and refugees has been ditched by its crew in the Mediterranean—a body of water that has become a "graveyard" for those seeking refuge as European countries heighten restrictions while cutting relief for refugees amid skyrocketing displacement.

The International Organization for Migration announced that 2014 was the most deadly year for migrants on record, with nearly 5,000 worldwide losing their lives "at sea or in remote deserts or mountains." This heavy toll was driven by death in the Mediterranean, where over 3,000 people drowned.

However, a September report by the organization notes that such data may be incomplete, as "no organization at the global level is currently responsible for systematically monitoring the number of deaths that occur."

Full article: http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/01/02/exemplifying-brutal-new-trend-hundreds-refugees-cast-adrift-italian-coast