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Hundreds of immigrants lost at sea as vessel sinks off Libya (26 August 2014)

Date: 26/08/2014
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Hundreds of immigrants lost at sea as vessel sinks off Libya

A vessel containing around migrants fleeing war and persecution has sunk at Qarabouli, 35 miles east of the capital Tripoli, the Daily Mail reports.

It is reported the migrants were attempting to make the crossing from Libya to Europe. Libya has this year called for more help from the EU in dealing with the huge numbers of migrants trying to cross from Libya to Italy – and has warned that, unless the EU provides more help with the migrants, Libya will begin to assist their passage to the EU.

More than 100,000 immigrants from Libya have arrived in Italy this year alone and Italy is also struggling to cope with the number of migrants who cross the Mediterranean.

The Italian coastguard and Italian Navy regularly assist migrants who get into difficulties when vessels sink. Hundred of lives have already been lost this year as a result of migrants being sent across in unstable or overcrowded vessels or poor weather conditions.

In this latest incident, thousands of migrants were reportedly trying to make the crossing when the seas were calmer – since Friday (22/08/14), around 3,500 migrants have been picked up and taken to safety in Italy.

However, several small vessels carrying 200 migrants – including women and children – went down on Friday night

A spokesman for the Libyan coastguard, Abdellatif Mohammed Ibrahim, said:

“A few miles off the coast, we found the remains of a wooden boat which had some 200 migrants on board.
“We managed to save 16 people and recovered 15 bodies, but the search continues for some 170 people who disappeared at sea.

“It seems that among them are Somalis and Eritreans – in addition to other nationalities.

“One of the fatalities was an 18-month-old child,” said Mr Ibrahim.

An Italian ship picked up around 1,372 survivors of Friday night’s tragedy and a number of bodies have also been recovered from the sea.

The Italian government launched the Mare Nostrum search and rescue mission to patrol the Mediterranean last October, after hundreds of migrants lost their lives trying to make the crossing to Italy from Libya. Operation Mare Nostrum costs the Italian government around 9 million euros (£7.5m) to fund every month.

Once the migrants have arrived in Italy they are processed, but many are released without having their fingerprints taken because of the numbers who arrive, making tracing them more difficult.

Migrants who die on the crossing from Libya to Italy are often not identified if they are lost at sea, meaning relatives are left not knowing what has happened to their loved one.

There have been calls for better identification of migrants who lose their lives so that their families can be informed.

Once migrants disperse across Europe, many head for Germany and France – the two most popular EU member states for incoming migrants.

It is estimated that around one-fifth of migrants who arrive in Europe eventually head to the UK.

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