ITALY: Government minister says rescuers are continuing to search for more than 130 migrants missing after their boat sank in Italian waters

Record ID: 348357

  • Title: ITALY: Government minister says rescuers are continuing to search for more than 130 migrants missing after their boat sank in Italian waters
  • Date: 8th April 2011
  • Summary: ROME, ITALY (APRIL 05, 2011) (REUTERS) INTERIOR OF PARLIAMENT
  • Embargoed: 23rd April 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy, Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: International Relations,Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
  • Reuters ID: LVA18XR84PT5RDVB6U7OG5N674AQ
  • Story Text: Italian Interior Minister Roberto Maroni on Thursday (April 7) announced in parliament a rescue operation to locate over a hundred refugees from Libya continued at sea but said hopes to find survivors were fading.
    According to coast guard officials and aid workers between 130 and 250 people were missing and at least 15 appeared to be dead after a boat carrying refugees from Libya capsized south of Sicily early on Wednesday (April 6).
    Rescuers picked up 47 people, including a heavily pregnant woman after the overloaded boat, which left Libya two days ago, sank at about 4:00 a.m. (0200 GMT) on Wednesday, 40 miles (64 km) south of the island of Lampedusa.
    According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), a migrant assistance agency which has officials on Lampedusa, an Italian fishing boat rescued another three people.
    Between 15 and 20 bodies were seen in the water, officials said but high winds and rough seas made it difficult for coast guard boats and a police helicopter to operate.
    "According to the survivors there were another 150 people onboard the boat and the search for them is still on-going at sea this morning, assisted by the help of two mercantile ships," Maroni told Italy's parliament at a session on Thursday morning.
    "The search mission is on-going and continues but the hopes of finding other survivors are fading hour by hour," Maroni added.
    The incident provided a stark illustration of the dangers run by desperate people who pay about 1,000 euros ($1,427) for a place on one of the overloaded fishing vessels carrying refugees and migrants from Africa.
    Thousands have crossed so far this year after the collapse of the former Tunisian regime and fighting in Libya brought down strict border checks that had previously barred the way into Europe.
    Most have been young men from Tunisia, seeking to get to France but in recent days there have been growing numbers of arrivals from Libya, underscoring Italian fears the fighting there could set off a new exodus.
    IOM said that 2,000 mostly African migrants and asylum seekers had landed in Lampedusa from Libya in the past 10 days.
    Lampedusa, roughly midway between Sicily and Tunisia, has been the focal point for the crisis, with some 20,000 illegal migrants arriving this year and overwhelming the infrastructure of the tiny island, which normally lives on fishing and tourism.
    Thousands were forced to shelter in makeshift tent camps until Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi sought to end the weeks-long emergency by sending ferries to clear the island.
    However, that has simply shifted the problem to other areas in Italy and caused arguments among regional governments over where to set up migrant holding centres.
    "We call for bilateral agreements between the European Union and EU states, as well as global treaties, with the fundamental part, in contrast to addressing the influx of immigration, focusing on the prevention work and developing joint politics and economic aid. International cooperation is needed as for the moment it has been left for individual countries to take action at a national level. Instead of national efforts, international cooperation is needed to tackle the situation," Maroni said.
    On Tuesday (April 5) Maroni signed an agreement with the Tunisian government to try to halt the flow, pledging aid, increased police cooperation and possible compulsory repatriation for illegal immigrants.
    The accord was confirmed on Wednesday by a cabinet meeting in Rome which set up an inter-ministerial contact group to monitor progress.
    Italy has also been at odds over the issue with France, which has turned back migrants trying to cross the border. Berlusconi is due to meet French President Nicolas Sarkozy on April 26 in Rome, when the issue will probably be discussed.
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