Thousands Of Migrants Rescued From An Ill-Equipped Boat In The Mediterranean Sea, 10 Dead

This weekend, the Italian coast guard reported 5,800 more migrants attempting to cross into the country on flimsy boats. The number of migrants rescued was reportedly one of the highest amount in years, which is due to extreme circumstances in their homelands.

Recently, Italy has had many deaths on it hands as more migrants travel to Europe on boats that are not built to withstand such a trip with so many people aboard. Last month, the migrants numbers were quite high as well. On April 12 and 13, more than 6,000 people were rescued. This past weekend, however, a few migrants did not make it over, as the Italian rescuers found ten dead aboard the ship, according to Reuters. Still, they managed to save 3,690 people on Saturday and 2,100 on Sunday.

The causes of death for those found, are unknown. Based on the history of the migrant boats, the people could have died from a number of unfortunate causes. In recent years, other migrants have been known to murder people for identifying as Christian. Just last month, twelve Christians were thrown out of a migrant ship into the ocean for refusing to acknowledge Allah. Other migrants die from suffocation due to overcrowding, as well as airborne illnesses which spread from being too close to other people. Just how long has this been happening?

Italy’s migrant problem has been going on for many years. A study conducted by the International Migration Database showed that in 2012, Italy had the largest amount of migrants in Europe. Today, the number is far larger, and Italy has called in the European Union and the United Nations to assist. People escaping hardship, and war in Africa and the Middle East, sail from Libya to Italy because it is thought to be easiest country to get to. Most of them have no intentions of remaining in the country, and instead have plans to travel to other places in Europe, but very few actually find a way to leave Italy, if they make there at all.

Back in 2013, the numbers of migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea where few, in the hundreds. Those number gradually increased to what is now thousands of people who often experience difficulty at some point during the voyage and need to be rescued. In February of, 300 migrants were found dead off the coast of Lampedusa, and last month, a ship holding 800 dead migrants washed up on Italy’s shore. Italy, reportedly estimates that 200,000 migrants will arrive this year.