Another massacre in the central Mediterranean, more victims who are added to the long list of deaths at sea since the beginning of the year. At least 22 people have died off the coast of Libya after spending nine days at the mercy of the waves. This was reported by about 60 survivors brought ashore by the Libyan Coast Guard, according to the spokesman for the International Migration Organization, Safa Msehli. “This is expected. This is avoidable. This is the central Mediterranean,” she says.
Longform
Mediterranean cemetery of migrants: five victims a day, but the exodus will not stop
by Alessia Candito
Even the sixty-five people saved a few days ago by Geo Barents risked not being able to overcome the crossing. Now they are en route to Taranto, but at least 22 travel companions have lost them. Among them, there were also two children traveling with their mothers and the brother of another girl saved by the MSF crew. The old dinghy with which they faced the waves broke before the arrival of the NGO ship, the people on board ended up in the water and dozens were swallowed by the Mediterranean. A four-month-old baby was resuscitated and miraculously saved by MSF’s medical team, while there was nothing for one of the women brought on board. She was too weak, too worn out by the hours she spent struggling to survive in the water, she died shortly after being rescued.
Mediterranean, still a massacre. Msf: “No news of 22 people, three women have lost children and little brother”
by Alessia Candito
“We still have the body on board” they recall from Msf, happy for having finally obtained authorization to disembark after countless requests that have fallen on deaf ears. But on board they underline: “After four days, the Interior Ministry has finally indicated Taranto as a safe harbor for disembarking the 65 survivors we have on board. But it is twenty-four hours of navigation, which means yet another day at sea”.