UN rebukes Europe for turning away rescued migrants
More than 140 people rescued at sea were taken to a detention centre in Misrata, Libya
Geneva — UN aid agencies criticised European countries on Tuesday for not allowing migrants to disembark at safe ports, after more than 140 people rescued at sea were taken to a detention centre in Misrata, Libya. About 170 migrants were lost in the Mediterranean in two incidents involving dinghies that left from Libya and Morocco, migrant organisations said. In all, 203 passengers have drowned at sea trying to reach Europe in January; 4,883 have arrived, mainly in Spain, Greece and Italy, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said. Private rescue ships have been restricted from conducting search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean, putting more lives unnecessarily at risk, the UN refugee agency UNHCR said. “IOM confirmed [on Monday] that the Sierra Leonean flagged cargo vessel Lady Sham returned 144 rescued migrants to Libya. It remains unclear when and from where these individuals departed,” IOM spokesman Joel Millman told a Geneva briefing. “IOM staff counted ...
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