54 migrants stranded in the Mediterranean Sea die of dehydration < br />

2012-07-11 01:27:57 GMT+7 (ICT)

ZARZIS, TUNISIA (BNO NEWS) -- More than 50 migrants who were attempting to travel by boat from Libya to Italy are believed to have died of dehydration after they became stranded in the Mediterranean Sea, officials said on Tuesday. Only one person has survived the incident.

The group left the Libyan capital of Tripoli in late June and a day later reached the Italian coast, but strong winds forced the boat back to sea. The inflatable boat was punctured several days later, allowing air to leak out and leaving the 55 migrants stranded in the Mediterranean Sea.

Authorities were unaware of the boat until late Monday night when fishermen off the coast of southeastern Tunisia found a man who was floating on the remains of the boat and a jerry can. The fishermen alerted the Tunisian Coast Guard who rescued the man and rushed him to a hospital in Zarzis, where he is being treated for dehydration and exposure.

The survivor told the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on Tuesday that there was no water supply on board the boat and people started to die of dehydration within days. Many of the migrants drank sea water during the 15-day ordeal, including the man who survived. More than half of the victims are believed to have come from Eritrea, including the survivor and three of his relatives.

"This is a tragedy. Fifty-four people have lost their lives," said T. Alexander Aleinikoff, Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees at UNHCR. "I call upon all vessels at sea to be on heightened alert for migrants and refugees needing rescue in the Mediterranean. The Mediterranean is one of the busiest seaways in the world and it is imperative that the time honored tradition of rescue at sea be upheld."

Authorities are currently also monitoring a boat carrying 50 Eritreans and Somalis in the Mediterranean Sea, but they refused to be rescued by Maltese military forces on Monday. The UN Refugee Agency estimates more than 1,300 people have arrived by boat from Libya in Italy so far this year. More than 1,000 people have arrived from Libya in Malta.

The United Nations believes around 170 people have died so far this year while attempting to make the dangerous journey from Libya to Europe. More than 1,500 people drowned or went missing while attempting to cross the sea from Africa to reach Europe last year, making the Mediterranean Sea the world's deadliest stretch of water for migrants and refugees.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-07-11

An Inflatable boat with 55 Persons on board defies all logic, or maybe that was the life raft?

It must be very bad in Libya now for the people there, that they want to escape at any cost.

My condolences to the family's of the deceased.

Tradgedy my arse!....Most fortuitous for Italy

next time, bring water and an innertube patch kit. and maybe some life-preservers (they type you wear, not the candy).

It must be very bad in Libya now for the people there, that they want to escape at any cost.

My condolences to the family's of the deceased.

My guess is that people fleeing Libya now would be people connected with the Ghadaffi regime in some way

It must be very bad in Libya now for the people there, that they want to escape at any cost.

My condolences to the family's of the deceased.

My guess is that people fleeing Libya now would be people connected with the Ghadaffi regime in some way

Yes, also native black Libyans and Christians who are being ethnically cleansed on a large scale by the new, Western friendly, Islamic fanatics who now control the country. Maybe it's time for a no fly zone to protect these civilians...... oh, hang on a minute!

If they got to Europe they would of gone straight on welfare. Good riddance.

If they got to Europe they would of gone straight on welfare. Good riddance.

Although Europe is skint I still think genuine refugees should be helped, the trouble is that the vast majority arriving on boats have tended to be economic migrants who not only cynically exploit the generosity of those helping them but also have no intention to integrate and instead become a parasitic crime wave blighting wherever they settle. The current situation in Libya may well however lead to more genuine refugees seeing as the Islamists in Libya do what Islamists do best, namely murder or persecute anyone of a different religion or even too dark a skin colour - but their apologists are as ever clueless and seemingly blind to this.

If they got to Europe they would of gone straight on welfare. Good riddance.

Although Europe is skint I still think genuine refugees should be helped, the trouble is that the vast majority arriving on boats have tended to be economic migrants who not only cynically exploit the generosity of those helping them but also have no intention to integrate and instead become a parasitic crime wave blighting wherever they settle. The current situation in Libya may well however lead to more genuine refugees seeing as the Islamists in Libya do what Islamists do best, namely murder or persecute anyone of a different religion or even too dark a skin colour - but their apologists are as ever clueless and seemingly blind to this.

Well put. And of course, whether the apologists like it or not, The West / Nato are largely responsible for the plight of these refugees fleeing persecution and ethnic cleansing. We were the ones who bombed Libya, destroying their infrastructure and installing these Islamic fanatics. Not a peep out of the West now though, no condemnation of what is going on now in Libya. They have just washed their hands of it and moved on to the next victims. Morally reprehensible.

It must be very bad in Libya now for the people there, that they want to escape at any cost.

My condolences to the family's of the deceased.

My guess is that people fleeing Libya now would be people connected with the Ghadaffi regime in some way

Or any other tribe which is not the one currently in power

Classic erroneous assumptions and lack of understanding/sympathy from the same ole TV people. Most of the migrants were Eritrean, not Libyan, so comments linking this issue to the fallen Gaddafi regime or NATO's part in its overthrow are simply misplaced. In addition, please remember that in most cases, the true villains of the piece are the human traffickers who take the life savings of these desperate people and promise them a paradise that does not exist. No-one deserves to die this way, and certainly not people who are simply looking for a way to survive or help their family survive. [Please understand that I am not saying that Europe is obligated to take in these poor people, but they certainly don't deserve this fate ... and they certainly deserve a little sympathy from us].

If they got to Europe they would of gone straight on welfare. Good riddance.

What a sad man you are, i doubt these people take these sort of risks if they had a choice, and to cap it all the end up living next to people like you. i just hope you are not from the uk.

SMH today reports another boatload rescued and delivered to Christmas Island. Last week, survivors from a boat capsized in Indonesian waters rescued and taken to Christmas Island. All to be housed, treated, fed, undocumented claims of nationality and oppression investigated at the cost of many thousands of dollars per person. Those allowed entry reduce the number of genuine refugees given visas.

It's about time Oz got smart and declared that all illegal immigrants will be detained indefinitely until they declare their nationality and willingness to be repatriated. Pick a nice frigid rock in the Southern Ocean for detention. Any country refusing to repatriate their citizens should have all Oz foreign aid and/or military assistance withdrawn with the threat of a citizen travel ban both ways to halt tourism and trade.

Off-topic post and reply deleted. This topic isn't about Australia.

The most recent topic about Australian asylum seekers is this one:

Edited July 16, 201213 yr by Scott

It must be very bad in Libya now for the people there, that they want to escape at any cost.

My condolences to the family's of the deceased.

My guess is that people fleeing Libya now would be people connected with the Ghadaffi regime in some way

Yes, also native black Libyans and Christians who are being ethnically cleansed on a large scale by the new, Western friendly, Islamic fanatics who now control the country. Maybe it's time for a no fly zone to protect these civilians...... oh, hang on a minute!

Rubbish. These are Eriterian economic migrants.

The problem with economic migrants is they all think they're going to find the promised land when they land. This myth is spread by previous migrants who don't want their friends and relatives to know they spent a fortune to live a life of misery in the sewers of the first world.

I heard of some organization that was trying to show through TV reportage broadcast in the migrant's countries of origin, what was the reality of the life of new migrants in the west in order to deter them to come. I don't know if they eventually did it and what was the result but IMO it's definitively a good idea.

The problem with economic migrants is they all think they're going to find the promised land when they land. This myth is spread by previous migrants who don't want their friends and relatives to know they spent a fortune to live a life of misery in the sewers of the first world.

I heard of some organization that was trying to show through TV reportage broadcast in the migrant's countries of origin, what was the reality of the life of new migrants in the west in order to deter them to come. I don't know if they eventually did it and what was the result but IMO it's definitively a good idea.

In Thailands newspaper and magazines you can read from time to time stories about how the dreams of a better life abroad by young innocent Thais who went "inter" following false promises by Westerners turned out to be a nightmare.

Rubbish. These are Eriterian economic migrants.

Rubbish. Migrants fro Eritrea have slightly more to worry about than just economics.

Have a read of this:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-04-24/news/sns-201204241300--tms--amvoicesctnav-c20120424apr24_1_eritrea-president-isaias-afewerki-journalists