Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/558086
4 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 19 AUGUST 2015 News Mediterranean migrants died from poisonous fumes: IOM TEAMS from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) who met survivors of another Mediterranean trag- edy this past weekend learned grisly details of an asphyxiation that claimed dozens of migrants' lives. On Saturday in the Sicily Channel 49 migrants were found dead on a ship carrying over 300 people. The survivors were rescued by the Italian Navy ship "Cigala Ful- gosi" 21 miles off Libya's coast. This tragedy is the latest in a long list of catastrophic events occurring in recent weeks. A total of 350 migrants have died since 5 August, bringing the to- tal number of deaths at sea in the Mediterranean to nearly 2,350 since the beginning of this year. "As we have already said in similar cases, what happened cannot be simply considered an incident. It is a crime. These unscrupulous smugglers are sending thousands of people to their deaths," said IOM Director General William Lacy Swing in Geneva. "A striking number of migrants are dying in the Channel of Sic- ily almost on a daily basis, while thousands of others are facing difficult conditions in the Greek islands, particularly Kos. There are also reports of an increas- ing number of migrants trying to reach Europe through the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (the FYROM) and Serbia in appalling conditions," he added. Saturday's 49 corpses were dis- covered by Italian sailors in the hold of a small, 15-metre fish- ing boat, which was partially immersed in water and spilling fuel. They determined that the migrants were likely asphyxi- ated by fumes from the vessel's engine. By the end of the operation, the Italians rescued 313 migrants, including 45 women and three minors – mainly from Morocco, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sub-Saha- ran Africa and Syria. The dead reportedly included migrants from Sub-Sahara Africa, Bangla- desh and Pakistan. According to early reports, the "Cigala Fulgosi" responded to a distress call. It reached the fish- ing boat, which had left Zwara some time after dark, before dawn on Saturday. The corpses, and the hundreds of survivors, later were trans- ferred at sea to a Norwegian na- val ship, the "Siem Pilot", which was patrolling the Mediterrane- an in the framework of the Tri- ton operation. The "Siem Pilot" was already carrying 100 migrants rescued by the German navy ship "Wer- ra" and on Monday morning reached the port of Catania with 412 rescued migrants on board. IOM staff in Catania met the migrants and interviewed them soon after their arrival. "The boat started to have prob- lems a few hours after leaving Libya and was going very slow," said IOM Italy spokesperson Flavio Di Giacomo. "The heat in the hold was un- bearable, especially in the area close to the engine, which was leaking fumes and fuel. Some migrants managed to reach the deck. They told us that they didn't even have any water to drink. Those who were close to the engine could not move and started to die one by one. When the rescuers arrived, they found a horrific situation," he added. According to witnesses' tes- timony, the smugglers forced Sub-Saharan Africans to sit in the hold, together with some mi- grants from Pakistan and Bang- ladesh. Others were permitted to stay on deck. "Unfortunately, this is quite common," said Di Giacomo. "Sub-Saharan Africans are often put in the hold, as the smugglers regard them as less valuable. They usually pay less for their passage and often do not even get to buy a lifejacket – their best chance of surviving the journey." The hold is the most danger- ous part of the boat: there are no windows and just one or two tiny exits. The fumes from the engines are poisonous and can often result in the death of some of those forced to travel below deck, Di Giacomo notes. "This is a humanitarian emer- gency, but it is not an invasion. This is not a crisis of too many migrants reaching Europe and overburdening the conti- nent. The emergency lies in the number of migrants needing aid and safe channels to migrate. The deteriorating conditions in the countries of origin and tran- sit – including the conf licts in Libya, Syria, Iraq and Nigeria, and in other countries suffering economic insecurity or collapse – are the main push factor and they are not likely to be resolved in the short term," said Ambas- sador Swing. "We are firmly convinced that responding collectively to mi- gratory f lows, which may be problematic for some countries individually, is absolutely man- ageable for the EU as a whole. These tragedies are a call to ac- tion for all EU member states to find a common humanitarian approach on this issue, which can only be managed with long- term, comprehensive and far- sighted policies that respect the human rights and dignity of the migrants," he added. Some 49 migrants were asphyxiated by poisonous fumes in the hold of a fishing boat off Libya Miriam Dalli campaigns for Europe-wide breast cancer screening THE European Parliament backed an initiative taken by Mal- tese MEP Miriam Dalli along- side a number of other MEPs and Europa Donna on breast can- cer screening in the EU. Europa Donna, which has branches in 47 different countries, is a volun- tary and independent organisa- tion that promotes breast cancer awareness. The written declaration, of which Dalli is an original signa- tory, will now be sent to the Eu- ropean Commission and to the Council of the European Union which are bound to give it due consideration also by formulating an official reply. The aim of the written decla- ration is to secure the provision of preventive services targeting early detection of breast cancer across all of Europe. The declaration calls for screen- ing in all 28 member states of the European Union and the setting up of multidisciplinary special- ist breast units before 2016, in an attempt to keep on decreasing breast cancer mortality rate in the European Union. Breast can- cer is the leading cause of death amongst women in the 35 – 59 years age group. 367,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the 28 mem- ber states every year, of which 91,000 end up succumbing to this illness. This week, Dalli visited the Na- tional Screening Programmes premises in Valletta where she witnessed firsthand the work that is currently being carried out. During her visit, the MEP un- derlined the importance of un- dertaking medical tests. "Each and every one of us knows someone who has been through breast cancer. This is a disease that breaks up families and or- phans children. Prevention is the strongest weapon we have and that is exactly why each and every woman who received a referral for breast screening should not hesi- tate one moment and make sure to undergo the required medical examination," Dalli said. In reference to the fact that last year 64% of the 70,000 women invited to attend for an ap- pointment at the screening unit showed up for their test, the MEP said "breast cancer is a devastat- ing disease. Its effects, even if one manages to survive the illness, can be traumatic and can also leave a lasting mark on those closest to you. It is only through effective information campaigns, especial- ly on prevention, and by bettering and extending our health services that we can save more lives." Republic Street, Valletta next to the Courts