There has been no response from the Italian government and European institutions to the over 1,000 deaths in the Mediterranean this year alone. Their inertia has depleted the Mediterranean of search and rescue resources.
Six deaths per day are more than just a demonstration of the failure of the Italian authorities; they reveal a humanitarian tragedy deliberately constructed, measure by measure, by the successive governments over the years.
None of these inhumane political choices, however, have prevented entire families from being swallowed by the sea off the Italian coast yesterday. In the wake of yet another tragedy at sea, the pain of the survivors and the families of the victims demands answers, actions, and accountability from the Italian and European institutions to prevent further deaths.
By Marco Bertotto, Head of Operations MSF Italy
Rome, June 18, 2024
