‘Bloody policies’: MSF recovers 11 bodies in the Mediterranean, off the coast of Libya | Migration news

European countries accused of complicity in deaths over migration policies after charity ship recovers 11 bodies in Mediterranean and rescues more than 160.

Aid group Doctors Without Borders reported the recovery of 11 bodies and the rescue of dozens of people off the coast of Libya, as it criticized the migration policies of the North African country and European countries.

In a statement released on Friday, the group, known by its French initials MSF, said its rescue ship Geo Barents managed to recover the bodies after a search operation that lasted more than nine hours, after being alerted by the organization German non-governmental organization Sea-Watch, which also rescues refugees and migrants.

“As we cannot determine the reason behind this tragedy, we know that people will continue to follow dangerous routes in a desperate attempt to reach safety, and Europe must find safe and legal paths for them,” MSF said in a post on X. “ This catastrophe must end!”

TRIGGER WARNING

After carrying out two rescues this morning, @MSF teams once again witnessed the aftermath of the devastating and bloody #European policies on #migration and no assistance to people who take #Mediterranean.

And this time, 11 people lost their lives!!

— MSF Sea (@MSF_Sea) June 7, 2024

Sea-Watch said it was unclear whether the bodies were victims of a previously unknown shipwreck, adding that they had tried to contact the Libyan coast guard to retrieve the dead but had received no response.

“The so-called Libyan coast guard – funded by the EU – ignored our call demanding that the bodies be recovered,” the group said.

Thousands of people trying to leave Africa for Europe use Libya as a starting point, with the Italian island of Lampedusa the closest European destination, as they undertake the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean to escape war, poverty and persecution.

Italy, which wants to put an end to the migration flow, said Libya and neighboring Tunisia must do more to stop people going to sea.

It has also cracked down on the operation of rescue ships, arguing that they encourage people to head to Europe, an accusation that is denied by charities.

Emphasizing its policy towards rescue ships, Italy said on Friday it had forced the MSF rescue ship to take the 165 people it saved from boats in the Mediterranean operation to the northern port of Genoa.

The port was more than 650 nautical miles (1,200 km) from their position and much further than the more convenient ports in neighboring Sicily, significantly delaying assistance to those rescued.

The central Mediterranean route is the most dangerous migrant crossing in the world, with the United Nations recording more than 20,000 deaths and disappearances in the area since 2014.

More than 3,000 refugees and migrants have disappeared in 2023 while trying to use the route, according to the International Organization for Migration.

According to the Italian Interior Ministry, the number of arrivals in the country has fallen in 2024 to fewer than 21,800 people since the start of the year, compared with around 53,300 in the same period last year.