written by Nick Pisa in Rome
Tuesday May 10, 2011
At least 800 people have drowned as they tried to escape war torn Libya in the two months since the civil war started, UN officials said on Tuesday.
The dramatic claim was made just days after it emerged that 61 people drowned after another ship sank despite being spotted and given assistance by an unidentified military helicopter.
There have been claims it was from a Nato vessel patrolling the waters off the coast of Libya but officials have denied this saying there is "no evidence that one of their vessels was involved."
The victims are made up mainly of refugees fleeing Libya but economic migrants are also feared to have died as they sailed from north Africa to the tiny Italian island of Lampedusa.
Since January the island has been swamped with more than 20,000 illegal immigrants and refugees pushing it's limited resources of food and water to the limit.
Laura Boldrini, a spokeswoman for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Rome said the figure of 800 was made up of four vessels that they had information on.
She said:"We know of at least two boats that are missing and these were carrying at least 490 people and we know of two ships that went down with 332 drowning.
"These are just the ones we know of from survivors or from people who have contacted us or relatives to say they were in trouble and then not been in touch again.
"There needs to be increased co-ordination between the navy vessels and the commercial ships that are in the Mediterranean at the moment and they need to offer assistance as quickly as possible without being asked.
"It is very, very worrying that these refugees are getting on boats that are not at all safe and then attempting to make this dangerous crossing to Lampedusa."
The incident with the 61 people who drowned, is said to have happened at the end of March, while last week another vessel carrying 600 men, women and children was send to have gone down off the coast of Tripoli.
Earlier this week a boat carrying 528 people ran aground off Lampedusa and a major rescue was launched with officials saying that all on-board had been saved but a search later revealed three bodies below the hull.
Ms Boldrini added how there had been cases of "tension" between Malta and Italy over territorial competence when it came to rescuing illegal immigrants and refugees.
Italy has grown increasingly frustrated at Malta's lack of help as in many cases it simply passes on any calls to them claiming they do not have vessels powerful or big enough to help in a rescue.
She added: "These cases of tension over competence just create more risk for those on the boats and puts any rescue attempt at risk – this should be put aside and everyone needs to do what they can to help.
"We are in this war to protect the people of Libya so if these people put to see to escape this war then we must look after them even if they are on ships."
Before the civil war began Libyan patrol boats stopped any vessel attempting to set sail in a deal agreed with Italy and before the bombing campaign started mad dog Colonel Gaddafi threatened to turn Europe "black through illegal immigration" in an attempt to ward off military intervention.
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