GENEVA/ROME :The UN’s refugee agency said that a total of 700 migrants are feared drowned in the Mediterranean Sea since Wednesday while desperately trying to reach European shores from Libya.
William Spindler, spokesman for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told Anadolu Agency on the phone on Sunday they are worried that 700 migrants from three boats have drowned.
Spindler said that at least 100 people went missing from a capsized boat on Wednesday in addition to 550 on Thursday, while the Italian Coast Guard retrieved the bodies of 45 migrants drowned on Friday.
Migrants from North Africa were trying to reach Italian coasts from Libya through Sicily.
Italian media reported that authorities have rescued at least 13,000 people from the sea this week and retrieved the bodies of 65 people, while hundreds are missing. The rescued migrants told the authorities about hundreds of missing people.
Italian Prime Miniser Matteo Renzi told Avvenire daily that Europe needs to develop an Africa strategy on illegal migration.
According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 190,000 migrants have reached Europe through the Mediterranean Sea (including the Aegean Sea) so far this year, and 1,475 people have drowned, making it the deadliest route for migrants in the world.
The organization says that through May 25, more than 37,000 people have reached Italy from North Africa from the Central Mediterranean route, and 1,093 people have drowned.
Italian authorities have reported a sharp rise in the migrant flow over the past week.
– Anadolu Agency reporter Fatjon Prroni contributed to this report from Ankara.—-AA
Nothing happens without the will of ALLAH SWT.
Only we wish 9/11 was not created by Mosad force,
Kuwait, Iraq, Afghans & Libya were not attacked.
World would have been a pleasant place for all.
Our heart weeps as we are helpless people watching the dead
sea & cruel world.
European countries are not accepting these refugees because few refugees might be ISIS terrorist. It proves muslims are enemies of muslims. Sorry to say but non muslims consider Islam religion is burden on the world. This situation can be changed only by muslims.
I urge muslims all over the world to prove Islam is a religion of peace not by just giving quran quotes but prove it through your action. Help non-muslims, serve non-muslims and accept modern values.
@secular hindu…..” though i m born a hindu…but for sure i will not die as a hindu ” – quoted by dr babasaheb ambedkar….saffron idiot first ask the custodians of brahmanwaad/ manuwaad as to how did they “treat” shudras/dalits/harijans…..care to ponder over hundreds of hindu lower caste who fell for christain gospels…- WHY did they leave hinduism….ask sikhs why they are seperated from hinduism due to regressive/oppresive manuwaadi warnaa system…..saffron scoundrel care to lecture your sanghi tribe who simply dispise ..western culture….and sing ballads of vedic culture….ISLAM is all over the world with 1.5 billions adherents …committed to their faith…..as mere neo-zio murderers(boko haraam/ttp taliban/isis) proppped upped by western intel agencies to bismirch islam/muslims and capture their natural resources…..will certainly wont make a difference to the glory of islam/koraan……so hindutwaadi idiot their are hundreds of trolls on social media such as you to dictate ….what and not a muslim should do…your jealousy for islam /muslims is what makes your inferiority complex more transparent….no doubt you and your saffron tribe appear on this “muslim media platform” only to puke your saffron intellectual garbage…..HELL to HINDUTWAAD.