700 feared dead and only 28 survivors as fishing boat packed with migrants trying to reach Europe

[Surya Gayatri]

capsizes off Malta


Pictured is migrants arriving in Sicily


File photo shows a migrant boat in distress in the Mediterranean Sea. Photo: TORM A/S




The Italian coastguard engages in the search, joined by cargo vessels and Malta's navy


* Up to 700 people are feared dead after boat capsizes in Mediterranean

* Boat carrying migrants sank off the Libyan coast just after midnight

* Just 28 people have been saved and rescue operation continues

* Third major shipwreck involving migrants trying to cross sea this week

So far, 28 people have been rescued following the incident, which took place just off the Libyan coast just after midnight, Italian and Maltese coast guards report.

The overnight disaster follows the feared drowning of more than 400 migrants in two shipwrecks on the Mediterranean earlier this week.

So far, 10,000 migrants have been rescued by the Italian coast guard, navy and merchant vessels this week - an unprecedented number.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3045468/Up-700-feared-dead-migrant-boat-sinks-Libya-newspaper.html

______________________
This is looking more and more like Armageddon.



Spare a thought for these desperate people, willing to risk life and limb to get away from the hell in their own countries.

[darkangel218]

1. This is a very very sad situation.

And I don't see how it can be fixed. Maybe US and Canada can take some refugees? From what I understand Italy has exhausted it's resources. I think they would have a better chance of integrating here / or in Canada.

[Surya Gayatri]

2. Italy is on her knees...10,000 refugees in just a week! Try to get your mind around that.

This can't go on. The beautiful Mediterranean will become a lake of death.

AFAIK, these refugees aren't from French-speaking Algeria, but rather from sub-Saharan Africa, and from the Near-East (Libya, Syria).

[darkangel218]

3. Yes, i edited my post.

[Surya Gayatri]

30. They are escaping multiple wars - Libya, Syria, Somalia, Iraq, various wars in sub-Saharan Africa.

And, they are desperate enough to put their very lives in the hands of these low-life people smugglers.

President Hollande qualified these criminals as 'terrorists' today. Exploiting the poor and helpless.

[Surya Gayatri]

33. You said a bunch there! Where is the world?

[Surya Gayatri]

4. FWIW, I find the difference in reaction to be striking...

Barely 3 weeks ago, the web went wild with horrified commentary and reaction to the Germanwings air disaster.

150 people died in that human-caused catastrophe, the majority of them white and western.

Here we have a maritime disaster with 700~ drowned in horrific circumstances, all of them Middle-Eastern and African refugees.

[MineralMan]

5. Every media outlet is covering this story.

Hardly crickets. I'm not sure where you looked, but I'm seeing it everywhere.

[Surya Gayatri]

7. I was being polite in referring to the WEB in its entirety - for web, read DU.

[darkangel218]

6. Front page pretty much everywhere.

But I agree, not much reaction here on DU yet. Maybe it's still early, people are not up yet.

[Surya Gayatri]

8. I was being purposefully oblique in an effort at politeness:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026531355#post7

[Surya Gayatri]

9. Hope that's the case, just Sunday doldrums.

[underahedgerow]

10. I think the difference is that it's hard to weigh an opinion when we as a whole are powerless to

actually do anything. And anthropologically speaking, we identify more readily with those we are on par with, as opposed to African and Sub-Saharan refugees.

Other than wringing hands and saying 'this is terrible' there's not much to be done.

The region affected directly is the EU and the UK. It's barely a blip to the USA. Eventually, possibly a small portion of the refugees may make it to the Western Hemisphere, but that's more likely in the next generation, immigration-wise.

[Surya Gayatri]

12. But, the Germanwings victims were largely European,

and the crash took place on European soil. Nevertheless, the reaction was immediate and vigorous.

Nobody could do anything for the victims of Flight 4U9525 either, but that didn't stop expressions of sympathy and support.

See the muted non-reaction to this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141071413

[pintobean]

14. The Germanwings victims were murdered

The simplest explanation is, most people here can relate to getting on a passenger airplane, but can't relate to climbing aboard an overcrowded refugee boat to cross the Mediterranean.

I think you're trying to suggest that we're all a bunch of racists. Am I wrong about that?

[Surya Gayatri]

15. Certainly not, but perhaps a bit 'Americano-centric'?

The region affected directly is the EU and the UK. It's barely a blip to the USA. Eventually, possibly a small portion of the refugees may make it to the Western Hemisphere, but that's more likely in the next generation, immigration-wise.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026531355#post10

[pintobean]

16. That poster represents DU?

Check the profile.

[pintobean]

11. It's a horrible tragedy

Do you think DUers don't believe it's a catastrophe because of something in particular? Must every DUer post their thoughts on every tragedy?

[Surya Gayatri]

13. Not necessarily, but see reply above...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026531355#post12

[951-Riverside]

18. Sadly a lot of people harbor deep seated racist views n/t

[treestar]

63. It was also a big deal when the show-off Captain

grounded that cruise ship off the coast of Italy a few years ago.

[Surya Gayatri]

65. You're right. Lots of back and forth about that...

[951-Riverside]

17. The UN should supply these people with life vests or offer them safe passage

Far too many people are dying.

Something has to be done to make sure they are able to make this journey safely.

[Surya Gayatri]

20. Major problem: they are leaving from a war zone where the

UN has practically zero presence.

No-one knows when they are leaving, with whom they are leaving or what their trajectory will be.

[oregonjen]

19. If you have a spare few minutes, please listen to this song

John Denver's Falling Leaves (The Refugees)

[Surya Gayatri]

21. oregonjen, it seems this video 'is not available'.

Do you have another link? Thanks.

[oregonjen]

23. Don't know what it doesn't work. How about another link?

Different version, same song...

[Surya Gayatri]

24. Thanks!

[seveneyes]

22. An even more appropriate response to the problem

[brer cat]

25. We need to do more than spare a thought for these desperate people,

I just don't know what that would be. I don't think a week goes by without a ship overflowing with refugees going down, and this was the third incident in just one week. Italy cannot handle that many people. I think there needs to be an international effort made to divide the responsibility, but who to lead it? UN?

[Surya Gayatri]

27. Well, the EU is trying to get some kind of handle on the situation.

Italy is on her knees and needs immediate help.

See Pres. Hollande's response:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026531547

[brer cat]

37. Good.

It is going to take international cooperation to help.

[JustAnotherGen]

55. Renzi calling for a summit

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026531355#post53

If the EU could open its wallet - Italy could take the reins. And there needs to be consensus that they can travel beyond Italian waters without breaking any laws.

[guillaumeb]

26. another failed US attempt at violent regime change.

The US proceeds from country to country, bombing and engaging in other acts of terror. The motive is regime change. The countries are left in ruins while the US goes on to the next country. The US media does its job by forgetting about the ruined countries and focusing instead on the NEW "existential threat to freedom".

[Surya Gayatri]

28. Who could have guessed 12 years ago that anything might go wrong?

See here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026531547#post4

[mylye2222]

32. The Tragic result of EU getting more of a fortress everyday.

People paying the ultimate price of an immigration policy witch doest consider humanity

[Surya Gayatri]

34. On refile le patate chaude...!

Last edited Sun Apr 19, 2015, 01:39 PM - Edit history (1)

(Just passing on the hot potato.)

[mylye2222]

36. Tout à fait.

Personne ne veut gerer ce problème. Eh oui.... des vies outre-mediteraneenes... ca vaut pas grand chose pour eux. Au fond ces morts arrangent tout le monde. Tu va me trouver cynique mais c'est la réalité.

[Surya Gayatri]

38. Pour certains, oui, mais j'ai vu des Italiens en train de pleurer...

Last edited Sun Apr 19, 2015, 01:40 PM - Edit history (1)

(For some people, yes, but I saw some Italians crying.)

[mylye2222]

39. Des responsables politiques

Ou des gens come toi et moi ? Juste une question.

[Surya Gayatri]

40. Des bénévoles et des secouristes. Les gens en première ligne, quoi.

(Volunteers and rescuers. People in the front lines.)

[mylye2222]

41. A oui. C'est sur

que ce qu'ils ont vu est totalement dechirant.

Le plus horrible c'est que la il y a deux naufrages meurtriers en 24h.

Au fait le dernier délire parano des conspirationistes: ce serait l UE qui torpillerait les navires! On aura tout entendu. ...

[Surya Gayatri]

42. Ce serait l'UE qui torpillerait les navires! Quoi ????

T'aurais entendu ça quelque part ?



(The EU supposedly torpedoed the ship? What????

Did you hear that somewhere?)

[mylye2222]

43. Vu surbune page FB qui

S'appelle "les 99, 99%"... un endroit rempli de conspis dieudo soraliens.

[pintobean]

44. I think you two are being extremely rude.

[mylye2222]

45. How are we rude?

I was deniuncing EU indifference toward migrants plight and tragedies.

[guillaumeb]

74. "grossier" dans le sens que, AMHO,

la grande majorite des etats-uniens n'aiment pas les langues etrangeres.

Encore, mon opinion seulement.

[phil89]

76. Grow up. You know what he's talking about.

It's an English site.

[mylye2222]

77. I was thinking that

What you found rude is what we were talking about.

[Surya Gayatri]

48. You may go back and read my remarks translated into English, if you like.

[treestar]

62. Beware, I stepped in it once over that

You will be labelled xenophobe. And told off that you can use Google Translate.

doing that informs us how useful that is - as to the poster not providing us a translation:

No one wants to manage this problem. Yep .... lives overseas mediteraneenes ... it is not much for them. Basically these deaths arrange everyone. You will find me cynical but it's reality.

Politicians Or people come you and me? Just a question.

A yes. Is about that what they saw is completely heartbreaking.

The most horrible is that there are two deadly wrecks in 24 hours.

In fact the last paranoid delusions of conspiracy: that would be the EU that would torpedo the ships! We have heard it all. ...

Seen on a FB page Called "the 99, 99%" ... a place filled with conspis dieudo soraliens.

[pintobean]

68. There have been posts hidden for being in other languages.

It has been addressed in ATA. I don't remember exactly what was said, but I'm pretty sure it was seen as rude and one takes their chances. I guess I could have alerted instead, and avoided any scorn. I thought I was being nice by not alerting and pointing out the obvious.

[treestar]

69. Yes, the one I got into it on

was hidden, and then there followed several condemnations of the xenophobic jury. Skinner opined in ATA that it was up to the jury and so juries would tend to think it rude and hide them. So it would be hit or miss and require an alert. But in arguing I was roundly scolded that Google translate is there, just use that! Then we see Google Translate is not all it's cracked up to be, as some of that still doesn't make much sense. Human translators will always be needed for more than the basics.

[pintobean]

70. My thinking is

use the language of the board. This one is English. If one wants to use French, use the mail feature, or go to a french board. Telling someone to use Google Translate is just as rude as posting in other languages.

[Surya Gayatri]

46. Je n'y metterais même pas le gros orteil !

(I wouldn't even stick my big toe in there!)

[mylye2222]

47. En fait c'est plein de fachos sur ces pages.

Je suis membre d'un groupe de FB ou l'on fait entre guillemets la chasses aux pages nazies, racistes , conspis etc.... et on essaie de faire fermer ca depuis des lustres! Par contre la cesure pour un bout de décolleté ca y va!!

[Surya Gayatri]

49. Well, a lot of that conspiracy crap comes from the States, ya know.

The First Amendment run amok.

But, watch out for naked boobs!

[Spider Jerusalem]

35. There's a lot of that

https://afgj.org/death-as-deterrence-the-desert-as-a-weapon

[Surya Gayatri]

50. Update: Authorities in Palermo are now saying that approximately 12,000

refugees have made the crossing in the last week.

(According to France 24)

That's more than a thousand a day!

[Liberal_in_LA]

51. k&r

[JustAnotherGen]

52. Renzi Statement at this link

There's video - about 1.5 minutes with translation for those who don't understand Italian.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32374027

Key - these 700 were outside the boundaries of the Mare Nostrum operations.

He's also treating these people who put these folks in such dire straits as human traffickers/modern day slavers . . . more than 900 arrested, tried, and convicted.

I think we have a serious issue with international waters. If the EU would say - Italy - go out to sea - they would.

[Surya Gayatri]

54. Yeah, I heard this on France 24. It's time the EU got serious with

these people smugglers.

French Pres. Hollande has called them 'terrorists' for exploiting the poor and helpless.

[JustAnotherGen]

57. I think one country has

The numbers tried, convicted and sitting in Italian prisons are just astounding.

I'm also thinking that perhaps the - you passed our security check and now are released - is going to trigger other EU countries to realize -

Italy has made it their problem.

Renzi isn't going to keep people in 'cages' that have done nothing wrong and just want a little peace in their lives.

[JustAnotherGen]

53. Renzi calling for summit

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/19/italian-prime-minister-matteo-renzi-emergency-summit-700-drown-mediterranean

The sudden surge in deaths has increased pressure on European powers to come up with a proper joined-up strategy to deal with the burgeoning crisis. Last autumn, Mare Nostrum, an Italian search-and-rescue mission that rescued more than 100,000 people at sea in 12 months was discontinued amid a row over funding and Italian exasperation that it was shouldering the burden of responsibility alone.

It was replaced with a slimmer EU force with a weaker mandate, amid suspicions that some European leaders did not want to fund an operation that might encourage greater numbers of unwanted migrants to risk the deadly crossing. Migrant smugglers have told the Guardian that the presence or absence of rescue forces in the Mediterranean makes no difference to people so desperate to flee that they would rather chance their luck on the ocean than return home.

Italy was effective - if the EU could pitch in some money (Italy's neck is under the boot of the EU's austerity) - they could help these people.

[Surya Gayatri]

56. It's going to happen. Hollande also called for an EU summit today.

'Migrant smugglers have told the Guardian that the presence or absence of rescue forces in the Mediterranean makes no difference to people so desperate to flee that they would rather chance their luck on the ocean than return home.'

Just about sums it up, really.

[JustAnotherGen]

59. From last fall - but the number remains the same

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/migrant-crisis-hits-europe/2014/09/09/5dd8012d-cbe0-4a8a-895a-033d5a6794f6_story.html

It's going to take $12 Million a month to rescue, process, provide legal aid for asylum, and get these folks safe. I understand for unaccompanied minors Save The Children Italy can take funds from 'abroad'. That organization is actively working with Social Services in Italy - example to help fund foster homes, medical care, etc. etc.

[Surya Gayatri]

60. Black (refugee) lives matter!

[Surya Gayatri]

58. Italy's 'Mare Nostrum' was much more effective than the EU's 'Triton',

but she can't afford it any more.

[JustAnotherGen]

61. That's why the EU

Needs to fund - and let Italy lead. They know what they are doing - and can save lives. Let the other countries help for the photo ops - but the naval services know how to save lives.

[Surya Gayatri]

64. It's their 'Italian Sea', after all!

[JustAnotherGen]

66. Not as far away as that boat capsized

That's heart breaking. If they had permission. If wouldn't be perceived as a threatening military presence. . . The navy and coast guard folks there are lifers - they really believe in their job. We gotta let them do it.

My brother in law (husband's younger sister's husband) is a Navy officer there. If you tell Antonio he has to go - he'll go.

[Surya Gayatri]

67. Let the experts do the job! I admire the Coast Guard and

Life Boat crews a lot.

[JI7]

71. imagine how life must be for people to do this

the world and especially the wealthy countries need to do something.

[LittleBlue]

72. OMG that death toll is sickening

RIP

[Surya Gayatri]

73. And, now they're talking of up to 1,000 dead. Very difficult to

know--obviously there was no passenger list.

[snooper2]

75. religion strikes again

fucking warring fundies