«The UNHCR reported yesterday that UNHCR staff interviewed the sole
survivor of a migrant boat that departed from Tripoli for Italy in late
June with 55 people on board. The survivor was interviewed in Zarzis,
Tunisia. “According to the survivor, there was no water on board and
people started to die of dehydration within days. Many drank sea water,
including the man who survived. He was rescued [off the coast of
Tunisia] floating on the remains of the [inflatable] boat and a jerry
can. According to the survivor over half of the deceased were from
Eritrea, including three of his relatives.” According to the UNHCR
press statement “[s]o far in 2012, over 1,300 people have arrived by
boat from Libya in Italy. A boat, reportedly carrying 50 Eritreans and
Somalis, is currently at sea. They refused to be rescued by Maltese
military forces [on 9 July]. Over 1,000 people on 14 boats have arrived
in Malta from Libya so far this year. Two other boats were intercepted
by Maltese authorities, but the majority elected not to be rescued and
continued to Italy. UNHCR Italy estimates that so far this year some
170 people have been declared dead or lost at sea attempting to make the
journey from Libya to Europe.”»
Fonte: UNHCR e Migrants at Sea
