Harrowing tale of the migrant boat left to drift for seven days in the Mediterranean
The Mediterranean sea continues to be a watery graveyard for many migrants seeking to reach the shores of Europe. Sometimes large-scale tragedies at sea hit the headlines and occasionally even reach the courts. But often the tragic loss of life in such circumstances receives scant attention. Here Mediapart recounts the story of one such harrowing event which claimed the lives of more than 50 people. In March 2024, an inflatable boat carrying around 80 people drifted for nearly a week in the central Mediterranean. Though spotted several times, no one came to its aid; some have claimed it was “left to die”. In the end, only 24 people survived. Cécile Debarge reports from Italy on its grim journey.
OnOn May 26th, judges at a court in Crotone, Calabria, began the penultimate day of preliminary hearings to decide whether two members of the Italian coastguard and four members of the Guardia di Finanza law enforcement agency should face trial over the sinking of the Summer Love, off the coast of Cutro. It was a tragedy which claimed the lives of 94 people in February 2023 and made headlines across Europe.
