2008-09-01 13:36:35

70 Illegal Immigrants Die Off Maltese Coast


(September 1, 2008) Migration has become an emergency in our times, and one that demands solidarity and effective political solutions, says Pope Benedict XVI. He said this Sunday, as he commented on the deaths this week of some 70 would-be immigrants off the coast of Malta, said to be one of the worst such incidents recorded in the country. According to news reports, 78 would-be illegal African immigrants set sail from Libya on Aug. 21. The small boat found itself in the middle of a storm and capsized. Maltese fishermen rescued eight survivors on Tuesday. Authorities have found only three bodies, but according to the survivors, four women are among the dead, including three who were pregnant. After reciting the midday Angelus with several thousand people gathered in the courtyard of the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, the Holy Father said the tragedy "seemed to surpass previous incidents in terms of the number of victims" "Migration is a phenomenon that has been present from the dawn of human history, and it has always, for this reason, characterized the relations between peoples and nations," he said. "The emergency that migration has become in our times, nevertheless, calls out to us and, while it solicits our solidarity, demands, at the same time, effective political answers.” The Pontiff applauded the humanitarian work of various regional, national and international institutions that are addressing the problem of irregular migration.







All the contents on this site are copyrighted ©.