Death in the shadows Human rights denunciation of Europe's neglect of the tragedy of Mediterranean migrants

More than 100 people died in two tragedies that occurred last week in the Mediterranean, and Doctors Without Borders denounces the "indifference of the European Union to the increasing number of deaths" of migrants.

Doctors Without Borders denounced on Wednesday the neglect of European countries and their migration policies, which led to the death of more than 100 people as a result of two tragedies that occurred last week in the central Mediterranean, as described by the organization.

The organization said in a statement that "the neglect of Italy and Malta to help boats in distress, and the indifference of the European Union and its member states towards the increasing number of deaths, is unacceptable," considering that the accidents that occurred at sea were caused by "the EU's migration policy."

Caroline Veleman, coordinator on board the "Geo Barents" ship of the "Doctors Without Borders" organization, which carries out patrols on the migration route, pointed out that the reluctance of European countries "for search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean and their support for the Libyan Coast Guard is the cause of the deaths and human rights violations." occurring in the central Mediterranean.

On Thursday, March 31, four children and seven women were found dead on an overcrowded rubber boat, and the Libyan Coast Guard spotted 126 passengers and returned them to Libya.

Two days later, on April 2, more than 90 people died after spending several days at sea, with no known cause of death, and an oil camel rescued four others and brought them back to Libya, according to the NGO.

"They fled the hell in Libya and later witnessed the deaths of dozens of their comrades when their ship ran aground for several days at sea, and after this unimaginable ordeal, they were returned to Libya where they face ill-treatment and torture," she added.

And she added, "While these European leaders and institutions express their deep solidarity with the refugees fleeing Ukraine, we can only deplore the European Union's handling of others fleeing violence in their country of origin."

The central Mediterranean is considered the most dangerous migration route in the world, according to the International Organization for Migration. The United Nations agency estimates that more than 23,500 people have died or gone missing on this route since 2014, including 2,048 last year.