Scottish Catholic Observer

Speaking after his catechesis at the general audience this morning, the Holy Father asked for prayers for those who have lost their lives in the past few days as they crossed the Mediterranean sea in overcrowded and derelict vessels. He described the incidents as ‘shameful carnages.’

The death toll from the capsising of a boat between Libya and Lampedusa carrying some 400 migrants this week has climbed to 17. So far, 206 immigrants have been rescued, but search efforts continue.

The Italian navy said the boat that sailed from Libya went down some 160 km south of the Italian island of Lampedusa. The sinking follows Sunday’s discovery of the bodies of at least 40 immigrants off the coast of the Libyan town of Garbuli. Nearly 19,000 immigrants have been rescued since Italy’s government launched the Mare Nostrum (Our Sea) naval operation last October.

James Stapleton, head of communications at Jesuit Refugee Service, says JRS welcomed Pope Francis’ words saying this ‘is what we have been saying for a long time. This is not a question that can be resolved by Italians on their own.’

“We need a beefed-up force in the Mediterranean, we need to save lives of people who are trying to seek safety in Europe, but we need a plan by the whole of the European Union because there needs to be more responsibility sharing” he added. “People are fleeing for their lives, people are prepared to put their lives at risk. If I understand what the Pope is saying: we want to put humans first. The women, the children, all the people who are fleeing Syria, Eritrea and all of the other places where human rights violations are rampant throughout the world” he said.

Pope Francis visited the island of Lampedusa (above) last year and condemned the ‘global indifference’ to the plight of immigrants.

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