UN: 300 Illegal Migrants Drowned in the Mediterranean Sea

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees criticized Europe's rescue operations, reporting that nearly 300 illegal migrants drowned off the Mediterranean coast, calling the incident a "tragedy on a massive scale." According to the Associated Press, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees reported on Wednesday, February 11, that 29 more deaths were added to the toll reported by Italian border guards over the past two days. It is said that three boats carrying these individuals sank off the coast of Italy, and the passengers died from hypothermia. Another boat is also reported missing. The report adds that four boats of illegal migrants set off simultaneously towards the Italian coast without any water or provisions. So far, 107 people along with one crew member have been rescued by Italian border forces. Each of the boats was carrying 100 passengers. The death toll from this incident is expected to rise. Carlotta Sami, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, stated that the victims were swallowed by the waves, the youngest of whom was a 12-year-old child. The report indicates that the nationality of these refugees has not yet been disclosed, but those who have entered Italy are mostly victims of the wars in Iraq, Syria, Mali, and other regions. Italy began its rescue operations following the drowning of 366 illegal migrants off its coast in September 2012, but ended these operations last November due to high costs. Conducting rescue operations for illegal migrants costs Italy 9.5 million euros per month. Late last year, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees warned that halting Europe's rescue operations could increase the number of victims among refugees entering the country illegally by sea. Some EU members, such as the UK, believe that creating a campaign to protect the lives of illegal migrants in the Mediterranean could encourage many to migrate to Europe. The UN Refugee Agency, along with several human rights organizations, has strongly criticized the rescue operations for refugees. In January, 3,528 refugees reached the borders of Italy, while this figure was 2,171 in January of the previous year. Last year, hundreds of those who left the shores of Africa for Italy lost their lives on this route. The UN has described this route as the most dangerous maritime route in the world. Last year, official UN statistics reported that 3,500 people died while trying to enter Europe using smuggler boats. Meanwhile, last year, 200,000 refugees who faced incidents in the Mediterranean Sea were rescued. A quarter of these refugees are from Syria, which has been embroiled in civil war since 2011. Pope Francis, the leader of the world's Catholics, called for a "united response" to the plight of refugee victims in a speech to the European Parliament last year, warning that the Mediterranean should not be allowed to become a "vast graveyard" for refugees.