MORE than 23,000 desperate asylum seekers fleeing to Europe from war torn countries have drowned in the Mediterranean since the turn of the century, underlining fears the sea is turning into a mass “cemetery”.
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| Migrants on a boat to Lampedusa, and unmarked graves of those who have died making the journey[GETTY] |
The figures are higher than
previously thought, and an EU report estimates that four out of five illegal
immigrants in the continent now come via the Mediterranean.
As migrants take to dangerous sea routes to try and enter Europe, the number of deaths has soared.
One of the worst tragedies occurred in October last year, when more than 360 people - mainly from Eritrea, Somalia and Ghana - drowned off the coast of the Italian island of Lampedusa.
After the tragedy, the Prime Minster of Malta - which is a common destination point for asylum seekers coming from Africa - warned the Mediterranean risked becoming a "cemetery" for desperate migrants.
As migrants take to dangerous sea routes to try and enter Europe, the number of deaths has soared.
One of the worst tragedies occurred in October last year, when more than 360 people - mainly from Eritrea, Somalia and Ghana - drowned off the coast of the Italian island of Lampedusa.
After the tragedy, the Prime Minster of Malta - which is a common destination point for asylum seekers coming from Africa - warned the Mediterranean risked becoming a "cemetery" for desperate migrants.
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| A survivor of the Lampedusa disaster, a drawing from a local school, and the coffins of the victims [GETTY] |
A
survivor of the Lampedusa disaster, a drawing from a local school, and the
coffins of the victims [GETTY]
That so many die attempting to reach
Europe speaks to the desperation of those fleeing war, persecution, and
poverty, as well as the unscrupulous practices of human smuggling networks.
The shocking figures have led the international humanitarian charity Human Rights Watch to call on the EU to reform its immigration policies, and focus more on saving lives than barring entry....Human Rights Watch's Judith SunderlandThe charity's senior researcher Judith Sunderland said she was not surprised at the high number of migrant deaths, as previous estimates of deaths at EU borders were "conservative".
She said: "That so many die attempting to reach Europe speaks to the desperation of those fleeing war, persecution, and poverty, as well as the unscrupulous practices of human smuggling networks.
"But it also has to do with EU migration policies that have focused more on barring entry and preventing departure, rather than on saving lives."
She added: "With respect particularly to deaths at sea, the EU should ensure that increased surveillance of the Mediterranean, including through the EUROSUR [European Border Surveillance System], is focused on the paramount duty of rescue at sea, and ensure that all patrols in the Med use a broad definition of distress so that more migrants and asylum seekers are rescued before their boat runs into serious, life-threatening trouble."
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| This map shows the main migration routes into the EU [EXPRESS] |
Research carried out by a consortium
of European journalists reveals the shift from land to sea migration.
Among its findings was that while the number of migrants travelling by land from Turkey to Greece fell from more than 55,000 in 2011 to 12,000 in 2013, the sea route between the countries saw an increase from 1,500 to 11,000 over the same period.
An EU report into migration via the Mediterranean published last month showed the majority of migrants are refugees fleeing from Syria, which has been in the grips of a devastating civil war since 2011.
While the number of illegal migrants has fallen from 140,000 in 2011 to 77,000 in the first nine months of 2013, the numbers using the Mediterranean as an entry route as risen.
There were more illegal immigrants crossing the sea in 2013 than in 2011 when the Arab Spring swept across north Africa.
The EU has broken down the Mediterranean migration along five separate routes.
From July to September last year more than half of all illegal migrants into the EU came from the Central Mediterranean route, popular with Syrians, Eritreans and Somalians.
Migration from these routes are characterised by human traffickers, and survivors of the Lampedusa incident talked of migrants being raped and tortured by the men charged with carrying them across the sea.
Among its findings was that while the number of migrants travelling by land from Turkey to Greece fell from more than 55,000 in 2011 to 12,000 in 2013, the sea route between the countries saw an increase from 1,500 to 11,000 over the same period.
An EU report into migration via the Mediterranean published last month showed the majority of migrants are refugees fleeing from Syria, which has been in the grips of a devastating civil war since 2011.
While the number of illegal migrants has fallen from 140,000 in 2011 to 77,000 in the first nine months of 2013, the numbers using the Mediterranean as an entry route as risen.
There were more illegal immigrants crossing the sea in 2013 than in 2011 when the Arab Spring swept across north Africa.
The EU has broken down the Mediterranean migration along five separate routes.
From July to September last year more than half of all illegal migrants into the EU came from the Central Mediterranean route, popular with Syrians, Eritreans and Somalians.
Migration from these routes are characterised by human traffickers, and survivors of the Lampedusa incident talked of migrants being raped and tortured by the men charged with carrying them across the sea.
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| Jose Manuel Barroso was met with protests when he visited Lampedusa after the tragedy [GETTY] |
The report recommends the EU moves
away from "excessively militarised and security-centred approaches"
when dealing with illegal migrants.
It also calls for EU countries to ensure "a clear distinction is drawn between criminal networks and their victims" and should also "prevent the criminalisation of migrants and of humanitarian organisations supporting migrants".
Ms Sutherland urged the EU to a develop clearer and quicker entry system for asylum seekers.
She said: The Council of the European Union endorsed recommendations in this direction following the October 3rd tragedy off the Lampedusa coast, but we’ll have to see what concrete measures are adopted."
The latest EU report is not currently on the agenda for any upcoming meetings of the EU Parliament.
It also calls for EU countries to ensure "a clear distinction is drawn between criminal networks and their victims" and should also "prevent the criminalisation of migrants and of humanitarian organisations supporting migrants".
Ms Sutherland urged the EU to a develop clearer and quicker entry system for asylum seekers.
She said: The Council of the European Union endorsed recommendations in this direction following the October 3rd tragedy off the Lampedusa coast, but we’ll have to see what concrete measures are adopted."
The latest EU report is not currently on the agenda for any upcoming meetings of the EU Parliament.
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