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Italy sinking: Bad weather hampers search for migrants | Italy sinking: Bad weather hampers search for migrants |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Rough seas have forced divers to postpone their search for more than 200 migrants still unaccounted for after their boat sank off southern Italy. | Rough seas have forced divers to postpone their search for more than 200 migrants still unaccounted for after their boat sank off southern Italy. |
Rescuers have so far found 111 bodies, and 155 people have been pulled alive from the seas 1km (half a mile) from the island of Lampedusa. | Rescuers have so far found 111 bodies, and 155 people have been pulled alive from the seas 1km (half a mile) from the island of Lampedusa. |
Dramatic video footage shows the boat lying upright on the seabed some 150ft (45m) below the surface. | Dramatic video footage shows the boat lying upright on the seabed some 150ft (45m) below the surface. |
Divers have described seeing horrific scenes inside the wreckage. | Divers have described seeing horrific scenes inside the wreckage. |
Corpses are crammed into the wreck and some of the bodies - even in death - seeming to cling to the sides of the hull, the BBC's Alan Johnston reports. | Corpses are crammed into the wreck and some of the bodies - even in death - seeming to cling to the sides of the hull, the BBC's Alan Johnston reports. |
So many bodies have been brought ashore that the island has had to send for more coffins and turn a hangar at the airport into a huge, makeshift mortuary. | So many bodies have been brought ashore that the island has had to send for more coffins and turn a hangar at the airport into a huge, makeshift mortuary. |
Italians are aghast at the scale of the tragedy, Italy's worst ever migrant shipwreck, our correspondent says. | Italians are aghast at the scale of the tragedy, Italy's worst ever migrant shipwreck, our correspondent says. |
A day of mourning has been declared, with flags flying at half-mast and a minute of silence observed in all Italian schools. | A day of mourning has been declared, with flags flying at half-mast and a minute of silence observed in all Italian schools. |
A special mass is being held on Friday evening in the church in Lampedusa. | A special mass is being held on Friday evening in the church in Lampedusa. |
Pope Francis, visiting Assisi, described Friday as "a day of tears" for the victims and condemned a "savage world" that ignores the plight of "people who have to flee poverty and hunger". | Pope Francis, visiting Assisi, described Friday as "a day of tears" for the victims and condemned a "savage world" that ignores the plight of "people who have to flee poverty and hunger". |
He has said he wants to use abandoned Catholic monasteries and convents to house refugees. | He has said he wants to use abandoned Catholic monasteries and convents to house refugees. |
Lampedusa Mayor Giusi Nicolini - who wept at the scene of so many bodies - said: "After these deaths, we are expecting something to change. Things cannot stay the same." | Lampedusa Mayor Giusi Nicolini - who wept at the scene of so many bodies - said: "After these deaths, we are expecting something to change. Things cannot stay the same." |
"The future of Lampedusa is directly linked to policies on immigration and asylum," she told reporters. | "The future of Lampedusa is directly linked to policies on immigration and asylum," she told reporters. |
Key migrant routes to southern Europe | |
"This is not an Italian tragedy, this is a European tragedy," Interior Minister Angelino Alfano has said. "Lampedusa has to be considered the frontier of Europe, not the frontier of Italy." | "This is not an Italian tragedy, this is a European tragedy," Interior Minister Angelino Alfano has said. "Lampedusa has to be considered the frontier of Europe, not the frontier of Italy." |
'Continuous horror' | 'Continuous horror' |
Italian coastguard ships, fishing boats and helicopters have been taking part in the rescue and recovery operation off an area of Lampedusa called Rabbit Island. | Italian coastguard ships, fishing boats and helicopters have been taking part in the rescue and recovery operation off an area of Lampedusa called Rabbit Island. |
The search has been widened beyond the initial radius of four nautical miles in an effort to recover bodies that have been swept away by tides. | The search has been widened beyond the initial radius of four nautical miles in an effort to recover bodies that have been swept away by tides. |
But the worsening weather conditions have put the operation on hold, the BBC's Gavin Hewitt reports from Lampedusa. | But the worsening weather conditions have put the operation on hold, the BBC's Gavin Hewitt reports from Lampedusa. |
Mr Alfano said the divers had seen dozens of bodies in the wreck. "There could be even more in the hold, where the poorest of the poor are usually put," he told parliament. | Mr Alfano said the divers had seen dozens of bodies in the wreck. "There could be even more in the hold, where the poorest of the poor are usually put," he told parliament. |
Half of the bodies so far recovered are said to be women and four are children. | Half of the bodies so far recovered are said to be women and four are children. |
The skipper of the boat, a 35-year-old Tunisian, was arrested, Mr Alfano announced on a visit to Lampedusa on Thursday. "He had been deported from Italy in April," he said. | The skipper of the boat, a 35-year-old Tunisian, was arrested, Mr Alfano announced on a visit to Lampedusa on Thursday. "He had been deported from Italy in April," he said. |
The 66ft (20m) ship was carrying around 500 migrants - mostly from Eritrea and Somalia - when it set sail from the Libyan port of Misrata, survivors said. | The 66ft (20m) ship was carrying around 500 migrants - mostly from Eritrea and Somalia - when it set sail from the Libyan port of Misrata, survivors said. |
The boat began taking on water when its motor stopped working as it neared Lampedusa early on Thursday morning, they said. | The boat began taking on water when its motor stopped working as it neared Lampedusa early on Thursday morning, they said. |
Some of those on board then reportedly set fire to a piece of material to try to attract the attention of passing ships, only to have the fire spread to the rest of the boat. | Some of those on board then reportedly set fire to a piece of material to try to attract the attention of passing ships, only to have the fire spread to the rest of the boat. |
The boat is thought to have capsized when everyone moved to one side. | The boat is thought to have capsized when everyone moved to one side. |
Footage from Lampedusa showed bodies being laid out on the dockside. | Footage from Lampedusa showed bodies being laid out on the dockside. |
Mayor Nicolini has described the scene as a "continuous horror", while a local doctor said the hardest part to deal with was seeing the bodies of children. | Mayor Nicolini has described the scene as a "continuous horror", while a local doctor said the hardest part to deal with was seeing the bodies of children. |
An Eritrean woman who had initially been placed among the bodies on the shore was later found to be breathing and was taken to hospital in Sicily. | An Eritrean woman who had initially been placed among the bodies on the shore was later found to be breathing and was taken to hospital in Sicily. |
In a statement, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres commended the swift action taken by the Italian coast guard to save lives. | In a statement, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres commended the swift action taken by the Italian coast guard to save lives. |
Mr Guterres also expressed "dismay at the rising global phenomenon of migrants and people fleeing conflict or persecution and perishing at sea". | Mr Guterres also expressed "dismay at the rising global phenomenon of migrants and people fleeing conflict or persecution and perishing at sea". |
The UN said that in recent months most migrants attempting the crossing were fleeing the conflicts in Syria and the Horn of Africa, rather than coming from sub-Saharan Africa. | The UN said that in recent months most migrants attempting the crossing were fleeing the conflicts in Syria and the Horn of Africa, rather than coming from sub-Saharan Africa. |
The number of those arriving by sea to Italy this year until 30 September stood at 30,100, according to the UN. | The number of those arriving by sea to Italy this year until 30 September stood at 30,100, according to the UN. |
The main nationalities of those arriving were Syrian (7,500), Eritrean (7,500) and Somali (3,000). | The main nationalities of those arriving were Syrian (7,500), Eritrean (7,500) and Somali (3,000). |