More than 400 migrants and refugees drowned in early 2023 trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea from North Africa to Europe, the highest death toll in the last six years in a three-month period, a United Nations agency said. (UN) this Wednesday.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported 441 migrant deaths between January and March on the world’s deadliest immigration route, in what it said was likely an undercount. About half of those deaths are related to delays in state-led rescue efforts and, in one case, the absence of any rescue mission, he said.
“The persistence of the humanitarian crisis in the central Mediterranean is intolerable,” said IOM Director General António Vitorino. “With more than 20,000 deaths recorded on this route since 2014, I fear that these deaths have normalized. States must respond.”
Thousands of mostly African migrants embark on the perilous journey from the coasts of Libya and Egypt, often in small inflatable boats, in search of a better life in Europe.
This “central” route is distinct from the western crossing from Morocco to Spain.
Ships often sink, as in the case of a deadly shipwreck in the Calabria region of southern Italy in late February that killed at least 72 migrants.
Italy on Tuesday announced a state of emergency on immigration following a “sharp increase” in flows across the Mediterranean, in a move aimed at better managing migrant arrivals and repatriation facilities.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
