Massacre of migrants in Calabria: over 100 deaths feared. Among the victims were many children

Massacre of migrants in Calabria: over 100 deaths feared. Among the victims were many children.

A budget that, hour by hour, becomes more and more dramatic. The confirmed victims of tragic shipwreck of migrants off the coast of Cutro (KR) it would be 45. This is the number of corpses, including those of many children and a newborn, recovered so far by the Port Authority and the Financial Police, along the coast of Steccato di Cutro.

But over 100 deaths are feared. Also because there is not yet a reliable number of people who were on board. They respect each other dozens and dozens of people missing at sea. There were 80 survivors rescued at sea. According to some of them, there were around 180 on board. According to others, many more, at least 250.

The people on board were from Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Syria. One of many “journeys of hope” which follows the Turkish route, the one most traveled by migrants from countries in the area. They were on board a gulet, a large wooden boat. The boat, But, it could not withstand the force of the sea, Particularly rough today, and it split a few meters from the coast.

«A survivor told me of an explosion on board and burned bodies» said a rescuer. The patrol boats are busy at sea looking for survivors. Police and Carabinieri men also rushed to the scene, as well as Red Cross personnel.

The man was arrested by the Carabinieri and the Financial Police suspected of being the smuggler of the boat. This is a Turkish citizen whose position is now being examined by the judiciary. According to what is learned from the investigators, Another person's document was also found among the wreckage who has not yet been traced and who may have escaped or be among the missing or victims.

I'm over 25.800, from 2014 to today, the dead and missing along the central Mediterranean route. Over 120 confirmed cases in 2023 alone, including many children, according to Unicef ​​Italy, “but it remains a downward estimate that only considers reported cases or bodies found”.

«Deep sorrow for the many human lives cut short by human traffickers». This is the immediate comment from the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. "It is essential to continue with every possible initiative to stop departures», writes the Minister of the Interior in a note Matteo Piantedosi.

The President of the Calabria Region Roberto Occhiuto: «What has the European Union done all these years? Where is the Europe that should guarantee security and legality? What happened to the dialogue operations with the migrants' countries of origin?". "All questions that, unfortunately – adds Occhiuto – to date they have no response. And those who live in the territories, in close contact with everyday reality, are forced to manage emergencies and mourn the dead».

«I am deeply saddened by the terrible shipwreck off the coast of Calabria. The resulting loss of life of innocent migrants is a tragedy. All together, we must redouble our efforts for the Compact on Migration and Asylum and for the Central Mediterranean Action Plan». The President of the European Commission wrote it on Twitter Ursula von der Leyen.

The president of the Republic Sergio Mattarella in expressing the "ache" for the shipwreck off the Crotone coast, urges «a strong commitment from the international community to remove the underlying causes of migrant flows; wars, persecution, terrorism, poverty, territories made inhospitable by climate change».

«I was saddened to learn of the shipwreck that occurred on the Calabrian coast, near Crotone. 40 dead have already been recovered, including many children. I pray for each of them, for the missing, for the other surviving migrants", he said Pope Francesco at the Angelus.