Migrant tragedy: at least 20 people drown in the Aegean Sea

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Migrant tragedy: at least 20 people drown in the Aegean Sea

An overcrowded boat has sunk off the coast of Turkey, killing at least 20 people trying to make their way to Europe. The Turkish Coast Guard confirmed the death toll, which includes eleven children and one pregnant woman.

Some 21 people are said to have been rescued, so far.

Their boat capsized near Dakili, in Izmir Province, directly across from the Greek island of Lesbos – the first port of call for many migrants trying to reach the European Union.

Poor weather is believed to have been a factor in the sinking.

A day earlier, the Italian Navy intercepted a dinghy found to be in difficulty off the coast of Libya, another popular route for those trying to reach Europe. Around 104 people were rescued in that operation.

This just a day after the International Organization for Migration reported the number of people crossing into Europe illegally this year has surpassed one million.

-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2015-12-25

[mpa]

Turkey receives more than 3 bil euro now yet the EU continues to get the same results from a country that uses the migrant problem to enter EU.

[thaibeachlovers]

The only solution is for any illegal economic migrants found on boats trying to illegally enter Greece to be returned to Turkey. Once they realise there is no way to get to Europe that way they'll stop paying the crims to put them on overcrowded/ dangerous boats.

Given that the Italians rescued them off the Libyan coast, I'd be interested to know if they put them back on Libyan soil or took them to Italy.

[thaibeachlovers]

I just checked on Yahoo news and " Nearly 4,700 migrants were rescued off the coast of Libya on Saturday " . The article finishes by stating " Europe is struggling to cope with a record influx of refugees ". Not really surprising if the Euro navies continue to provide a taxi service for the illegals to reach Italy, instead of returning them to Libya.

[FangFerang]

Interestingly, TVF posters do not seem to be interested about this.

[thaibeachlovers]

Interestingly, TVF posters do not seem to be interested about this.

Given all the other threads about refugees to Europe in the past few months I'm not surprised not many are interested. Europe is barking for taking them all, and it's going to end badly- what more is there to say?

[simple1]

I just checked on Yahoo news and " Nearly 4,700 migrants were rescued off the coast of Libya on Saturday " . The article finishes by stating " Europe is struggling to cope with a record influx of refugees ". Not really surprising if the Euro navies continue to provide a taxi service for the illegals to reach Italy, instead of returning them to Libya.

At this stage how can refugees at sea be legally returned to Libya, a country which doesn't really have a functioning government, refugee processing policy / facility or law enforcement capability.

[simple1]

Turkey receives more than 3 bil euro now yet the EU continues to get the same results from a country that uses the migrant problem to enter EU.

Turkey has spent 5 billion dollars of it's own funds addressing the refugee issue within it's borders. However,

below is the other side of the story that is rarely covered by media organisations.

The UN humanitarian appeal for Syrian refugees is, according to Amnesty International, only 40 per cent funded.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/refugee-crisis-western-promises-of-help-are-insufficient-as-millions-of-refugees-face-bleak-winter-a6720261.html

Edited December 27, 2015 by simple1

[seedy]

one Troll / Flaming post removed

People have died, leaving families who loved them. Show some Respect

[mpa]

Susan Sarandon spends Christmas with refugees in Greece.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/susan-sarandon-crossing-mother_567c0d06e4b06fa688800933

Edited December 28, 2015 by mpa