People in war-torn countries such as Libya and Syria are desperate to escape, including spending all their money to hitch a ride on unsafe boats across the Mediterranean. Over 400 people allegedly died when a boat capsized near Libya. VICE News posted some of the more dramatic photos, but there are many more.
Coastguards threatened by smugglers while trying to rescue migrants off the shores of Libya http://t.co/z3pY50XrnI pic.twitter.com/7pTWCUkaC1
— Sky News Tonight (@SkyNewsTonight) February 16, 2015
Italian official: end of Italy boat migrant search/rescue mission caused 29 to freeze to death http://t.co/rhkLtFpYqS pic.twitter.com/sanFTiMvrN
— Gerry Simpson (@GerrySimpsonHRW) February 10, 2015
French President Francois Hollande announced on Thursday that he will seek United Nations authorization for a resolution that will allow the European Union to destroy the smuggling vessels.
About 200 missing after migrant boats sink off Italy http://t.co/a7pBTGUlk7 #UN #UN pic.twitter.com/L7ADLIlQcP
— Navize (@navizeapp) February 11, 2015
Coffin number 4 this #migrant was hoping for a better future when he got on a boat in Libya. This is how he arrived pic.twitter.com/G7bQiFtXlB
— Trisha Thomas (@TrishaThomasAP) March 5, 2015
More than 900 feared dead after migrants fishing boat capsizes http://t.co/6cW5GILRfR pic.twitter.com/qzJMDYsKaI
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) April 20, 2015
Smugglers in Libya who profit from human trafficking, interviewed following Hollande’s announcement, appeared unimpressed. They vowed the destruction of boats will not stop anyone from crossing the Mediterranean Sea.
The captain in the ferry boat crash that killed over 800 migrants has been arrested in Italy http://t.co/FtggPuPV8X pic.twitter.com/cfKqaXnwAY
— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) April 21, 2015
Migrant update 1: Captain of capsized boat is among handful of survivors; Italy arrests him. http://t.co/j35lreSx6o pic.twitter.com/fEGbMGBrKw
— Jim Roberts (@nycjim) April 21, 2015
With as many as 900 feared dead after boat capsized, survivors make it to shore
http://t.co/NLXaGRjojl pic.twitter.com/QLATNo54vv— Al Jazeera News (@AJENews) April 21, 2015
“Even if the EU threatens to strike our properties, destroy our boats, the issue will not stop,” claimed a smuggler known as Abu Ahmed. “We are not the problem. The migrants themselves are desperate to cross. Some of them, particularly the Syrians, have started buying their own boats and making the journey alone without our help. You can’t stop them.”
Italy arrests captain of capsized migrant ship, with hundreds feared dead. http://t.co/4LWgzVMB5K pic.twitter.com/cLjtIYIi5W
— Al Jazeera News (@AJENews) April 21, 2015
100s remain missing as migrant ship overturns in Mediterranean: http://t.co/zDggdoeESA pic.twitter.com/EX5wiu9WrE
— ABC News (@ABC) April 20, 2015
Analysis of Europe's migrant crisis: 'Leaders big on words, short on action' http://t.co/LrU1OGf6rx pic.twitter.com/4wxaZCvLFD
— Telegraph Breaking News (@TelegraphNews) April 20, 2015
Even the Libyan government, controlled by Libya Dawn, lashed out at the possibility of the EU destroying their boats.
Video: Italian coast guard scour sea for survivors of migrant boat tragedy http://t.co/KHhs91VX0N pic.twitter.com/eJnVYPD0g5
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) April 19, 2015
400 migrants die in shipwreck off #Libya, survivors say http://t.co/6q0DlwaNu0http://t.co/yuHtIdAI1I
— 15MBcn_int (@15MBcn_int) April 14, 2015
“Taking out boats without our permission would be considered a declaration of war against Libya,” exclaimed Abdel-Qader Huweily, a prominent Libya Dawn parliamentarian. “Our government rejects the interference of a foreign country on our shores.”
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.