ITALY: Italy marks a day of mourning after an estimated 300 migrants are feared drowned at sea off the coast of Lampedusa

Record ID: 348610

  • Title: ITALY: Italy marks a day of mourning after an estimated 300 migrants are feared drowned at sea off the coast of Lampedusa
  • Date: 4th October 2013
  • Summary: NEWSPAPER HEADLINES HEADLINE READING: "Migrant Tragedy, Italy in Mourning" HEADLINE READING: "The tragedy of shame." VARIOUS NEWSPAPER HEADLINES HEADLINE READING: "Our shame"
  • Embargoed: 19th October 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Accidents,General,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA3UIYMPD6QOG8VEMA9360X9DDI
  • Story Text: Flags flew at half mast in Italy on Friday (October 4) as the country marked a day of mourning for an estimated 300 migrants who drowned at sea.
    Rescue workers on Friday morning said they had recovered 111 bodies from the migrant boat that sank off Lampedusa on Thursday (October 3) and expected to recover more than 100 more from the submerged wreck.
    Authorities also rescued 155 survivors after the 20-metre (66-foot) boat carrying around 500 migrants, mostly Eritreans and Somalis, sank no more than one kilometre (half a mile) from shore.
    In all, more than 300 people were believed to have died in one of the worst tragedies in Europe's decades-long migrant crisis.
    Flags outside the Italian Presidential Palace and parliament building in Rome were lowered as a sign of respect.
    "Migrant tragedy, Italy in mourning" read one newspaper one headline. "The tragedy of Shame" read another.
    Italians seemed united in their sense of loss following the tragedy but many complained Italian legislation should be updated from the Bossi-Fini law.
    The law calls for fishing boats that rescue migrants at sea to be held and questioned by police.
    "I think a day of mourning is correct after this tragedy. I think before we start calling Europe for help, Italy needs to start doing something itself and abolish the Bossi-Fini law. Immigration isn't an emergency anymore, it is a fact of life that we need to deal with," said Rome resident Aldo Rosati as he walked past parliament.
    "All of us as citizens should feel this as though it a loss of our loved ones, our relatives," said another Roman, Enrico Carovini.
    Many also called for greater support from European institutions.
    "It shouldn't just be Italy that worries about this matter, Europe needs to step in too, yes we help them and are the first port of call but Europe should take interest in this matter too," said Rome resident Biaggio de Palmo.
    Meanwhile, Italian senators held a minute of silence to honour the hundreds of victims of the boat accident on Friday morning.
    The Senate committee delayed proceedings to discuss the expulsion of Silvio Berlusconi from parliament following his conviction of tax fraud to to issue tribute to Lampedusa dead.
    Schools were also expected to observe a minute's silence in memory of the victims.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: Video restrictions: parts of this video may require additional clearances. Please see ‘Business Notes’ for more information.
Register