Dozens Drown After Migrant Boat Capsizes Off Egypt
Rescuers have recovered dozens of bodies after a boat carrying migrants and refugees sank off the coast of Egypt.
The vessel was carrying approximately 600 people, including Egyptians, Syrians and people from several African nations, local officials said.
Search teams were able to rescue many of the passengers, but found at least 29 bodies amid the shipwreck, including 18 men, 10 women and one child. Officials told Reuters the boat appeared to have capsized after tilting due to overcrowding.
More people fleeing to Europe are trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea from the northern Egyptian coast, amid greater obstacles traveling from Libya and Turkey.
Over 12,000 people sailed from Egypt to Italy already this year, a significant increase from 7,000 during the same period last year, according to the European Union border agency Frontex.
Construction of ‘Great Wall of Calais’ Begins
Workers have begun to build a major barrier in the French city of Calais to try to stop migrants and refugees from attempting to enter the United Kingdom.
The 4m high and 1km long concrete barrier around the road leading to the port has been dubbed the ‘‘great wall of Calais.’’ The British government is footing the £1.9m ($2.5 million) bill for the wall, the Guardian reports.
Some 10,000 refugees and migrants are living a makeshift camp in Calais known as ‘‘the Jungle.’’
Many hope to reach the U.K. by climbing aboard trucks or trains crossing the English Channel. This is often a dangerous endeavor – 13 people, including three children, have died trying to make the crossing this year, charities say.
France has vowed to dismantle ‘‘the Jungle’’ camp, and some French politicians argue that the U.K. should take responsibility for the migrants living there.
Refugees Forced to Pay Bribes to Leave South Sudan
Refugees seeking to flee South Sudan’s bloody civil war say they have been forced to pay bribes by government soldiers and armed groups, according to the United Nations.
A South Sudanese civilian told the Associated Press that civilians have been made to pay some $200 in order to leave the country for neighboring Uganda.
Over 2.5 million people have been displaced by nearly three years of war in South Sudan, including 1 million people who have fled the country. Most of them have sought refuge in Uganda, while hundreds of thousands of others have gone to other countries including Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya.
An effort to stem the conflict collapsed in July, sparked renewed fighting around the country.
Recommended Reads:
- The New York Times: Bill de Blasio, Anne Hidalgo and Sadiq Khan – Our Immigrants, Our Strength
- Brookings: The Refugee Crisis Needs Concrete Solutions – Here Are Three
- The Wall Street Journal: What Happens to Wages When Refugees Arrive? More Than You Might Think
- The Associated Press: Pope, Refugees and Religious Leaders Pray for Peace
- The Conversation: How the Asia-Pacific Can Lead the Way on Migrants and Refugees