LAMPEDUSA, Italy— On October 3, 2013, another deadly incident involving African migrants yearning for the shores of Europe occurred in the strenuous waters of the Mediterranean. An overcrowded boat shipwrecked off the coast of the tiny Italian island of Lampedusa. Of the 500 suspected migrants on the boat, 111 people died. Among those dead were 4 children, 49 women, and 58 men. Despite rough waters complicating the search, members of the Italian Coast guard were successful in rescuing 155 people (145 men, 6 women, and 4 children).
Migrant travel across the Mediterranean Sea is not only common, but extremely dangerous. The harsh conditions of the Mediterranean Sea have claimed the lives of 19,142 Europe-bound migrants in the Mediterranean Sea since 1988. The UNHCR reported 2011 as the deadliest year (since it began to keep statistics of such incidents in 2006) when 1,500 migrants drowned or went missing while crossing the Mediterranean Sea; other reports estimated that 2,352 migrants drowned in that year. Prior to 2011, 630 and 525 migrants drowned or were reported missing in 2007 and 2008 correspondingly.
After speaking with survivors of the shipwreck, Chief Spokeswoman for the U.N Refugee Agency, Melissa Fleming explained the situation. Fleming indicated the boat’s journey began by picking up migrant passengers from Libyan towns from Misrata in the east to Zuwara in the west. As the boat approached its first destination off the coast of Lampedusa, the engine apparently stopped. When fishing boats did not stop to help, passengers set fire to clothing in hopes somebody would see them. Finally, a tourist boat alerted the Italian Coast Guard.
Several leaders shared thoughts about the migrant situation in the Mediterranean Sea. The day following the shipwreck, Pope Francis labeled the tragedy a “disgrace” and called for action to be sure it would not happen again. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres said the shipwreck should serve as a “wake-up call” to other nations.
“There is something fundamentally wrong in a world where people in need of protection have to resort to these perilous journeys,” Guterres explained. Guterres called for more effective international cooperation to address this problem.
Of the passengers of the tragedy on October 3rd, 2013, all but one migrant was from Eritrea. Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993, but since then has not declared any form of government. According to rights group, Human Right Watch, “ongoing serious human right abuses, forced labor, and indefinite military service prompt thousands of Eritreans to flee every year.”
Everyday, African refugees, daringly, depart for Europe, via the unseaworthy Mediterranean in search of a better life. The dreams of a new life in Europe are focused on better socio-economic and educational opportunities, employment opportunities, political, and religious freedom, and political durability. These desirable conditions outweigh the perils of transporting oneself and one’s family to Europe.