The United Nations Migration Agency through its spokesperson, Flavio di Giacomo, has estimated the number of migrant fatalities lost to 2 shipwrecks off the Libyan coast to be at least 239 people, Reuters reports.
The first wreck happened to a group which included 20 women and 6 children. They took off from Libya in a rubber dinghy at around 3am on Wednesday, but met with tragedy after the boat fell apart. Twenty seven survivors were recorded in this incident as rescuers did not get there in time to save more. 12 bodies – including three babies- were found.
Meanwhile a second incident is believed to have happened at around the same time as the above. Two women reported surviving this mishap which had about 130 passengers.
With the instability in different parts of the world owing to war and a lot of other factors, the number of illegal migrants looking to escape their dire situation and be smuggled into Europe has shot up astronomically in recent times.
The United Nations statistics puts the figure of lives lost in the Mediterranean sea to be about 4220 in 2016; a geometric increase from 3,777 for 2015.
“October saw a surge in migrant arrivals in Italy, with 27,388 arriving, more than the two previous Octobers combined, and bringing this year’s total arrivals to over 158,000,
“The smugglers who arrange the journeys have told migrants that European training of Libyan coastguards means the rescue missions will soon be handed over to Libya and any rescued migrants will be taken ashore in Libya rather than Italy.” Giacomo said.
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