30 people drown in the central Mediterranean, more than 24 hours after authorities were urged to launch a rescue

THIRTY people drowned in the central Mediterranean yesterday after the Italian, Maltese and Libyan maritime authorities failed to come to their rescue over 24 hours after the alarm was raised. Activists from the distress hotline organisation Alarm Phone were contacted by one of the roughly 47 people aboard a boat in the Libyan search-and-rescue (SAR)

‘Not a tragedy, but a massacre’

Fortress Europe’s migration policies slammed as over 60 people drown in shipwreck off southern Italy while the country’s far right government criminalises rescuers REFUGEE rescue organisations condemned Europe’s migration policies and the criminalisation of rescuers today after at least 60 people, including children and a new born baby, drowned off the coast of Italy. A

Libyan vessel endangers refugee rescuers in international waters

Italy orders rescue ships Life Support and Aita Mari to sail to distant ports after saving over 180 people A LIBYAN vessel menaced a refugee rescue ship operating in the central Mediterranean earlier this week, an Italian charity revealed today. Emergency made the announcement in a press release today after the crew of their rescue

73 dead in shipwreck off Libya, as Italy’s parliament makes it harder for rescuers to save lives

Meanwhile, two rescue ships forced to disembark rescued in ports hundreds of miles away AT LEAST 73 people have been reported missing and presumed dead following a shipwreck off the Libyan coast, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) announced today, as Italy‘s parliament made it harder for rescue ships to save lives. “The boat, carrying

Rescuers disembark people the Italian government would have left to drown

THE CREW of a charity-run refugee rescue ship disembarked over 230 people at a port in north-west Italy today. The Geo Barents, a vessel run by Doctors Without Borders (MSF), initially saved 69 people, including 25 minors, from an overcrowded rubber boat in international waters off the coast of Libya on Tuesday. Prior to this

EU-supported Libyan coastguard threatens to shoot at refugee rescuers

Despite threats NGO ship and reconnaissance plane work together to save the lives of 69 people in the central Mediterranean THE EU-supported Libyan coastguard threatened to shoot at rescue workers in the central Mediterranean today after they witnessed a refugee interception. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) shared video footage from its rescue ship, the Geo Barents,

Greek prosecutors drop charges against refugee rescuers

Defendants and activists say victory is only partial as some indictments remain THE DISMISSAL of all misdemeanour charges against 24 refugee rescuers in Greece today is but a partial victory, the defendants and fellow activists said, as some felony charges still remain. The activists, who volunteered with Emergency Response Centre International (ERCI), had been accused

Greek court to rule on ‘farcical’ charges against refugee rescuers this week

Meanwhile, two Mediterranean rescue ships carrying 110 refugees struggle through high waves and 40-knot winds after Italy forces them to sail over 1,000km to safety A COURT in Greece is to decide later this week whether to drop the “farcical” charges against 24 refugee rescuers after the trial today was postponed to Friday, following procedural

Air Partner: the Home Office’s little-known deportation fixer

In this reposted article from CORPORATE WATCH, we see how Air Partner and Carlson Wagonlit are the grease spinning the wheels of the UK deportation machine, organising logistics for mass-deportation flights for years. INTERNATIONAL travel megacorp Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) holds a £5.7 million, seven-year contract with the Home Office for the “provision of travel

Italy’s far right government makes world’s deadliest migration route ‘even more dangerous’

Rescuers publish joint letter condemning a new decree aimed at disrupting Mediterranean refugee rescue missions ITALY’S far-right government has made one of the world’s deadliest migration routes “even more dangerous” after issuing a decree this week that disrupts the way civilian search-and-rescue (SAR) ships operate in the Mediterranean Sea, rescuers said today. One of the