The Pope asked to prevent the sinking of migrants

VATICAN CITY (AFP).


Pope Francis
yesterday issued an urgent appeal to the international community to repeat the tragedies of migrants drowned in the Mediterranean

Before some 25,000 faithful in St. Peter's Square in Rome, the Pope called for a decisive action and fast so that "the dramatic news of the last weeks on the wounded boats loaded with migrants in the waters of the Mediterranean are not repeated."

The rescue operations of private organizations and


European Union (EU)
in international waters near the coast of Libya are virtually paralyzed. The Government of Italy has repeatedly prevented the entry into its ports of boats of humanitarian organizations with rescued migrants and refugees.

The day before yesterday, Malta's Coast Guard saved about 50 nautical miles south of the island. , coming from Libya, capsized shortly after the people on board received life jackets. In addition, official sources in Rome said yesterday that the Libyan Coast Guard had rescued 120 migrants who were on board a speedboat 35 miles off the coast of the country of North Africa.

Pope Francis

"Enough wrecks of migrants, let the international community act now"