Thousands rescued in the Mediterranean

More than 10,000 people have been rescued in the Mediterranean in only 48 hours. They were trying to reach the Italian coast.

Evangelical Focus

Protestante Digital, El País · CATANIA · 05 OCTOBER 2016 · 17:32 CET

A boy cries after he has been recued by a ProActiva boat. / Aris Messianis (AFP),migrants, refugees, october, 2016
A boy cries after he has been recued by a ProActiva boat. / Aris Messianis (AFP)

Thousands of people trying to reach the Italian coast have been rescued in only two days.

According to the Italian Coast Guard, more than 10,000 people have been rescued in 33 operations in which have participated Italian government ships, humanitarian organisations and private boats.

According to NGO ProActiva, 22 people have been found dead in a ship that was on fire.

According to Doctors Without Frontiers, so many boats have been trying to reach the Italian coast in the beginning of this week because of two reasons: the good weather on Monday (after a week with bad weather conditions) and the pressure of human traffickers, who try to embark as many people as possible before winter.

 

People in a rescue boat on October 3, 2016. / Aris Messianis (AFP)

At least 3,500 people have already lost their lives in 2016 trying to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe, the International Organization for Migration said.

Published in: Evangelical Focus - europe - Thousands rescued in the Mediterranean