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European governments fail to save boat refugees: MSF

Tuesday, 26 April 2016 10:08 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 26 April 2016 10:05 AM ]

Refugees massed onto an inflatable boat reaching Mytilene, northern island of Lesbos, after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey on February 17, 2016. ©AFP

Doctors without Borders says the European governments have failed to take proper actions to save the refugees struggling to reach Europe through dangerous sea journeys.

The charity group, known by its French acronym MSF, said on Monday that it resumed the Mediterranean Sea rescue operations after the EU states failed to take up the task that was halted in January.

The MSF said refugees are in danger of drowning as more people try to cross the “deadly stretch of water” between North Africa and Europe in spring and summer.

“The absence of a global solution to the current refugee crisis, and the European states’ policies of deterrence, as well their refusal to provide alternatives to the deadly sea crossing, continue to kill thousands,” MSF International chief Joanne Liu said.

The boat trip from Libya to Europe is longer than the route from Turkey to Europe and has resulted in much higher death rates.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Monday that some 1,200 people have died since the beginning of 2016 while trying to reach Europe by sea. Half of the victims lost their lives on Mediterranean route.

The file photo shows MSF Dignity 1 ship used for rescuing refugees on the Mediterranean Sea.

Some 3,771 people died in 2015 for similar reasons, the IOM said.

The MSF further said its ship Dignity 1 carried out an operation on Saturday and transferred 308 people, including 23 children, to Italy.

Last month, Turkey and the EU sealed a controversial deal intended to stem the flow of refugees from Syria and other troubled countries to Europe in return for financial and political rewards for Ankara.

Under the agreement, the bloc will take in thousands of Syrian refugees directly from Turkey and reward it with money, visa exemption and progress in its EU membership negotiations.

Many blame support by Turkey and some Western countries for militants operating in the Middle East as a major reason behind the departure of refugees from their home countries.

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