Memo: Tragic accident outside Lampedusa: Statement by European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Cecilia Malmström

Author (Corporate)
Series Title
Series Details MEMO/13/849 (03.10.13)
Publication Date 03/10/2013
Content Type ,

A further tragedy involving illegal immigrants from Africa took place off the Italian coast in October 2013. More than 300 people were feared dead after their overcrowded boat caught fire. Boats carrying migrants from Africa and the Middle East land on Italy's southern shores almost every day.

European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Cecilia Malmström on 3 October 2013 expressed, on behalf of the European Commission, her condolences to the families of the many people who lost their lives in the tragedy.

She also stressed the need to improve the situation of identifying and rescuing vessels at risk for which the European Commission has developed a new tool, EUROSUR, to better track, identify and rescue small vessels at sea. It will become operational as of December 2013.

Italian interior minister Angelino Alfano said 'This is not an Italian tragedy, this is a European tragedy', calling for more help from fellow EU nations in coping with migrants who try to cross the Mediterranean into Europe.

Voices from across the developing world have since then warned EU leaders that a failure to cut CO2 emissions and respect funding commitments for projects to mitigate and adapt to global warming would lead to more climate refugees, and more tragedies like the one in Lampedusa.

Will the tragedy lead to a change in the EU’s migration and refugee policy?

Source Link Link to Main Source http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-13-849_en.htm
Related Links
BBC News, 03.10.13: Italy boat sinking: Dozens of migrants die off Lampedusa http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24380247
France 24, 03.10.13: Dozens killed as migrant boat sinks near Italy http://www.france24.com/en/20131003-dozens-killed-migrant-boat-sinks-off-italy-lampedusa
Deutsche Welle, 03.10.13: Asylum seekers drown off Lampedusa http://dw.de/p/19tBY
Il Sole 24 Ore, 03.10.13: Lampedusa: brucia barcone, 94 cadaveri, 250 dispersi http://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/notizie/2013-10-03/naufragio-lampedusa-recuperati-quattro-084818.shtml
BBC News, 04.10.13: Italy sinking: Search resumes for missing migrants http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24392732
EUObserver, 04.10.13: EU after Lampedusa tragedy: More border surveillance http://euobserver.com/justice/121661
UN: UNHCR: Press Release, 03.10.13: UNHCR shocked as boat tragedy leaves scores dead off Italian coast http://www.unhcr.org.uk/news-and-views/news-list/news-detail/article/unhcr-shocked-as-boat-tragedy-leaves-scores-dead-off-italian-coast.html
Frontex: Eurosur http://www.frontex.europa.eu/eurosur
Euronews, 03.10.13: Italy: Hundreds of migrants still missing off Lampedusa after latest boat tragedy http://www.euronews.com/2013/10/03/italy-hundreds-of-migrants-still-missing-off-lampedusa-after-latest-boat-tragedy/
Council of Europe: PACE: Press Release, 04.10.13: Lampedusa: PACE rapporteur calls for investigation into allegations that boats failed to carry out rescue http://hub.coe.int/press/newsroom?p_p_id=pressrelease&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=maximized&p_p_mode=view&p_p_col_id=column-4&p_p_col_count=7&_pressrelease_struts_action=%2Fext%2Fpressrelease%2Fview&_pressrelease_pressreleaseUrl=%252FViewDoc.jsp%253Fid%253D2108027%2526Site%253DCM%2526BackColorInternet%253DC3C3C3%2526BackColorIntranet%253DEDB021%2526BackColorLogged%253DF5D383
Council of Europe: PACE: Press Release, 02.10.13: Italy ill-prepared to handle migration surge, committee says http://www.assembly.coe.int/nw/xml/News/News-View-EN.asp?newsid=4674&lang=2&cat=134
BBC News, 04.10.13: Italy Lampedusa: Europe's migrant dilemma http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24396020
Corriere della Sera / Der Spiegel / El País & 4 others, 04.10.13: Lampedusa is the failure of Europe (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/press-review/4201391-lampedusa-failure-europe
Deutsche Welle, 04.10.13: Is Lampedusa a wake-up call for Europe? http://dw.de/p/19tyt
Jesuit Refugee Service Europe: Press Release, 03.10.13: Enough deaths in the Mediterranean: It’s time for extraordinary measures http://www.jrseurope.org/news_releases/LampedusaTragedy_NEWS_03102013.htm
BBC News, 05.10.13: Lampedusa boat disaster: Row in Italy over deaths http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24413010
BBC News, 06.10.13: Lampedusa boat disaster: Divers recover more bodies http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24418779
Migreurop: Nos publications: Communiqués, 04.10.13: Lampedusa: l’Europe assassine http://www.migreurop.org/article2283.html
Spiegel Online International, 04.10.13: Europe's Failure: Bad Policies Caused the Lampedusa Tragedy http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/lampedusa-tragedy-is-proof-of-failed-european-refugee-policy-a-926081.html
Blog: Migrants at Sea, 04.10.13: Lampedusa – 300 or more dead in latest accident, what can be done to stop migrant deaths at sea? http://migrantsatsea.wordpress.com/2013/10/04/lampedusa-300-or-more-dead-in-latest-accident-what-can-be-done-to-stop-migrant-deaths-at-sea/
Euro|Topics, 04.10.13: Refugee drama off Lampedusa's coast http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/aeltere/NEWSLETTER-2013-10-04-Refugee-drama-off-Lampedusa-s-coast
Spiegel Online International, 07.10.13: Lampedusa Tragedy: Deaths Prompt Calls to Amend Asylum Rule http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/lampedusa-tragedy-prompts-calls-for-eu-to-amend-asylum-agreement-a-926453.html
EurActiv, 08.10.13: Europe warned: Climate change will bring more Lampedusas http://www.euractiv.com/development-policy/europe-warned-climate-change-bri-news-530914
De Morgen, 08.10.13: The deadly cost of tighter border controls (via PressEurop0 http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/4211031-deadly-cost-tighter-border-controls

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