Europe Braces for Nearly a Half Million Migrants
Nearly 6,000 migrants adrift on the Mediterranean have been rescued by European Union naval vessels, as the annual "boat season" of would-be refugees to Europe threatens to reach new highs.
According to the Italian coast guard, which is coordinating efforts to save migrants attempting to cross the sea from northern Africa, a fleet of British, Swedish, Spanish and Italian ships recovered 2,400 people. An additional 3,500 migrants were recovered on Saturday, including some 1,400 loaded into just four boats by smugglers and saved by German naval vessels.
Last weekend proved to be one of the busiest so far in what promises to be a new peak year of migration across the Mediterranean. Tens of thousands of migrants from North Africa and the Middle East are seeking passage to Europe, driven from their homes by war, oppression, and economic woes, and Libya is the key staging point. It’s estimated that as many as a half million people are in the war-torn country awaiting passage on the rickety boats and inflatable dinghies of people smugglers operating there. ...
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