Struggling passenger dinghy left adrift
Posted on August 28th 2009
The plight of thousands in the African continent can drive its inhabitants to extreme measures in a bid to provide for families and to elevate their circumstances in life. Many coastal European countries have seen a growing trend as many illegal immigrants take to overcrowded boats to try and make the crossing of the Mediterranean Sea.
The latest crossing has ended in the tragedy, like many of these desperate attempts to reach European lands, as the 75 Eritrean passengers aboard the overcrowded rubber dinghy died of starvation during the sea voyage. The five remaining passengers were rescued by the Italian coastguards between Malta and the smaller island of Lampedusa.
Apparently the survivors say that they had left the shores of Libya 3 weeks ago but had run out of food, water and fuel before making it across the sea. Yet to the horror of the UN Refugee Agency the survivors a woman, child and three men reported that they had been passed by several ships yet no-one had stopped to help them.
This callous disregard for human life has appalled many in the sailing world as the moral international obligation to help those at sea is slowly dying as many boat owners and sailing captains are afraid of the repercussions of helping a seemingly struggling passenger boat. Especially as recent times has spurned a new renaissance of modern-age pirates.
The Italian and Libyan coastguards have joined forces to patrol the sea crossing between the two countries and despite new Italian laws which makes entering the country illegally a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment and fines. However this does not seem to be deterring many who are willing to chance their fate with the sea, one wonders if imprisonment or starvation is almost a preferred alternative?
Insure My Boat provides boat insurance for ship owners across the United Kingdom providing contents insurance for personal effects and liability insurance for just in case of an accident.
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