EUROPE-MIGRANTS/CATANIA ARRIVALS Bodies of 49 migrants suffocated in migrant ship hold arrive in Sicily

Record ID: 143604

  • Title: EUROPE-MIGRANTS/CATANIA ARRIVALS Bodies of 49 migrants suffocated in migrant ship hold arrive in Sicily
  • Date: 17th August 2015
  • Summary: CATANIA, ITALY (AUGUST 17, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SHIP APPROACHING SHORE VARIOUS OF SHIP APPROACHING SHORE WITH (English): "RESCUE ZONE" AND (English): "BORDER CONTROL" ON SIDE
  • Embargoed: 1st September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAATV5NX8YC41CA9JJCIQOL9YSG
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDS PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A LIVEU QUALITY EDIT, FULL HIGH QUALITY EDIT TO FOLLOW IN 1099-EUROPE-MIGRANTS/CATANIA ARRIVALS MORE
    Norwegian Frontex coastguard vessel the Siem Pilot pulled into the port of Catania on Monday (August 17) carrying 49 migrant bodies believed to have suffocated in the water-logged hold of a fishing boat and some 416 migrants lucky enough to have been rescued at sea.
    The tragic deaths which occurred on August 15 are a grim reminder of how dangerous the passage across the Mediterranean Sea can be. The victims are thought to have suffocated after inhaling fumes from fuel after the boat took on water in the hold.
    Some 45 women and 3 minors were amongst the hundreds of migrants plucked from ramshackle boats over the last few days in separate operations, the lucky ones who will eventually make it to shore.
    More than 2,300 people fleeing war and poverty have died this year in attempts to reach Europe by boat, compared with 3,279 deaths during the whole of last year, the International Organisation for Migration said.
    The Geneva-based organisation said the number of migrants who have crossed the Mediterranean so far this year is approaching a quarter of a million, compared with 219,000 for all of last year.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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