In Britain, as I write, a very famous baby is celebrating his first birthday; in Messina, as I write, arrangements are being made for the burial of a migrant baby of the same age who was found dead on arrival in the port.
Having been advised of a migrant boat in difficulty by a satellite phone SOS call at 4 am on Saturday, the Rome Coast Guard alerted a Danish tanker bound for Tunisia and the Coast Guard in Lampedusa. The tanker was first to arrive on the scene, between Libya and Malta, and immediately set about rescuing the passengers from the inadequate fishing boat. Some, however, drowned during the transfer.
But worse was to be discovered: 29 poor souls are known to have been asphyxiated by fumes in the hold, which they were prevented from leaving by the people traffickers and the 581 survivors who arrived at Messina on Sunday are saying that more than 60 people were killed at random by the traffickers; they were allegedly kicked, stabbed and their bodies thrown into the sea. It is estimated that the boat could have been carrying up to 800 people and that there are 180 dead but neither figure can be confirmed.
It has also been revealed that the people traffickers were operating a two-tier fare system, with migrants of Arab origin paying $1,000 - $2,000 each for the journey and those of African origin paying $250 - $500.
Five men have now been arrested by Sicilian police on suspicion of mass murder.
The world watches Gaza, the world watches Ukraine and the world watches the little prince but no one outside Italy, it seems, is watching the Mediterranean.
UPDATE, 23.7.14
It now appears that the men who randomly killed some of the passengers were not the people traffickers, but passengers themselves. Presumably they thought that the boat was going to capsize and wanted to lessen its weight. The people traffickers, according to survivors, did nothing to stop the killing. Four men have now been arrested for people trafficking. This is in addition to the five arrests for mass murder.
UPDATE, 23.7.14
It now appears that the men who randomly killed some of the passengers were not the people traffickers, but passengers themselves. Presumably they thought that the boat was going to capsize and wanted to lessen its weight. The people traffickers, according to survivors, did nothing to stop the killing. Four men have now been arrested for people trafficking. This is in addition to the five arrests for mass murder.
8 comments:
Thank you for your faithful watch of these suffering souls.
Little joy anywhere at the moment apart from Simi!
Thanks,Laura. This is all I can do. Very true, WW.
This is what fills me with so much dread. What kind of heartless and ruthless people could start killing the other people on the boat?
I look at my daughter and fear for her future in a country that opens their arms to people with such defective morality.
Hi, wolfie. I don't know. It's hard to imagine their mentality. do you mean in the UK?
If they disembark anywhere in Europe they have the potential to be in the UK any day. The last time I went motorcycling round Europe with my wife I tool the back-roads into Calais on our return and we were shocked to see hordes of African men making their way cross-country to the port in an attempt to gain access to the UK. It looked like a music festival gathering! When you see it yourself its a shock to realize the scale of the problem.
Hi, Wolfie. Yes, but if people are fleeing persecution surely all civilised countries should help them? Better that they are in the UK, Italy, wherever and being helped then being brainwashed by you-know-who.
You should include your evidence that they are fleeing persecution.
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