Author: RACHAEL ADEEGBE
In a tragic incident off the coast of Lampedusa, a dinghy carrying migrants capsized, resulting in the death of an 18-year-old woman from Gambia. The harrowing ordeal unfolded in the Maltese search-and-rescue area, approximately 30 miles southwest of Lampedusa, between April 3 and April 4, 2024. Despite the efforts of the Lampedusa coastguard, which swiftly responded to the distress call, the dinghy sank, leading to the loss of life. Among the 45 migrants who survived the shipwreck, testimonies revealed that the victim was an 18-year-old woman hailing from Gambia. Italian military personnel intervened to rescue the survivors and retrieve the…
In a perplexing turn of events, 69 Bolivian passengers, including families with children, were barred from disembarking at the port of Barcelona, Spain, due to documentation issues. The incident occurred aboard the Armonía cruise ship, which had made its way to the northeastern Spanish port with Barcelona as its intended destination. However, upon arrival, Spanish authorities denied the Bolivian nationals entry, citing inadequate documentation for accessing the European border-free Schengen area. MSC Cruises, the vessel’s operator, initially indicated that the Bolivian passengers had possessed what seemed to be valid documentation when boarding in Brazil. However, Spanish authorities later refuted this…
Tensions escalated at a migrant reception center in Pistoia, Italy, managed by Father Don Massimo Biancalani, renowned for his dedication to hosting migrants. Over 120 migrants are currently housed at the parish, where recent disturbances led to clashes requiring police intervention. Two individuals sustained minor injuries, necessitating emergency room treatment. Father Biancalani clarified that the altercations stemmed from trivial disputes involving a small number of guests. Despite efforts to maintain order, tensions flared, resulting in physical confrontations. One incident involved a minor wrist injury and a nosebleed, while the other saw two individuals involved in a scuffle. The excessive number…
Cyprus is grappling with a significant surge of Syrian migrants arriving from Lebanon, prompting urgent appeals to the European Union for assistance. The Cypriot coast guard has been overwhelmed by the arrival of over 800 migrants since the weekend, exacerbating concerns about overcrowded reception centers and strained resources. On Tuesday, the coast guard in Cyprus rescued 263 migrants traveling on two overcrowded boats, bringing the total number of arrivals to around 800. This surge in migrant arrivals has led to a serious crisis, with President Nikos Christodoulides acknowledging the gravity of the situation during a cabinet meeting. According to Reuters,…
In mid-May 2021, amid heightened tensions, the Moroccan authorities took the unprecedented step of opening the Tarajal border, permitting approximately 10,000 migrants, including migrant minors, to enter the small Spanish enclave of Ceuta in Morocco. Two months later, the government of the autonomous city ordered the repatriation of 55 underage migrants to Morocco through an expulsion procedure halted by the Administrative Court in response to complaints from human rights NGOs. This action led to the indictment of former Ceuta prefect Salvadora Mateos and former vice-governor Mabel Deu on charges of continuous abuse of administrative office by the Court of Cadiz…
The news agency Agence France Press reported that the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum is being scrutinized due to significant data protection breaches within migrant camps. The Hellenic Data Protection Authority has imposed a substantial fine, amounting to approximately 175,000 euros. This fine is the largest ever imposed on a Greek government body, highlighting the seriousness of the uncovered violations. The watchdog highlighted serious shortcomings in the ministry’s adherence to data protection regulations and noted a lack of cooperation from ministry officials. This revelation has sparked concerns about the overall management and oversight of migrant facilities, prompting calls for…
Dozens of migrants, predominantly women and young children, were forcibly removed from a makeshift camp outside Paris City Hall. They were relocated to temporary housing in Besançon, 400 kilometers southeast of Paris, sparking debate over potential ‘social cleansing’ ahead of the Olympics. Police dismantled the camp in the early hours of Wednesday, prompting the migrants to board buses with their belongings. Sleeping under plastic sheets due to restrictions on tents set up in the central square, the migrants faced harsh conditions. Fatoumata, a Guinean migrant with two young children, expressed hope for a better life outside Paris. He highlighted the…
German authorities have detained two Turkish nationals on suspicion of smuggling 28 migrants into the country via a refrigerated truck from the Czech Republic to the state of Saxony. The suspects, a 26-year-old and a 52-year-old, are currently in custody awaiting trial, according to a press release from the public prosecutor’s office in Dresden, Germany. The incident occurred on Friday evening, March 29th, when officials intercepted a 40-ton Mercedes Benz tractor unit towing a refrigerated trailer crossing the border from the Czech Republic. Upon inspection, police discovered a group of migrants from Syria, Iraq, Egypt, and Turkey, including unaccompanied minors,…
In the first trimester of 2024, Spain witnessed a significant surge in migrant arrivals, with at least 16,156 migrants entering irregularly. This marks a substantial increase from the same period in 2023 when only 4,287 migrants arrived. Data from the Spanish Interior Ministry reveals that this figure represents the highest number recorded in the first trimester in seven years. Most migrants arriving in Spain this year have come by sea, with over 13,000 reaching the Canary Islands and approximately 2,200 arriving at the peninsular coasts or the Balearic Islands. Notably, the Canary Islands experienced a sharp uptick in migrant arrivals…
A devastating road accident in south-eastern Albania has resulted in the loss of eight lives, believed to be migrants, as they journeyed along the Balkan route towards Western Europe. According to reports from the German press agency (DPA), the tragic incident occurred when the vehicle, traveling on a high road above the Vjosa River near the town of Permet, veered out of control and plunged into a ravine, claiming the lives of all eight occupants. Reuters reported that Authorities have yet to identify the driver, believed to be from North Albania, and are working to ascertain the identities of the…