When discussing the island of Lempedusa, one of the main destinations for boat refugees in the middle Mediterranean, Laura Boldrini, spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Italy, says, “people are prepared to make the crossing in all weather conditions, at any cost. It is a form of Russian roulette, but one that they accept. Their lives are so miserable that they have very little to lose.”
However, while hundreds of boat refugees lose their lives in the Mediterranean each year there is some cause for hope as numbers of boat refugees are down, in part because of stricter policing, and better education about the risks in the countries of origin.
This Flickr set from UNHCR highlights some of the dangers and problems faced by boat refugees on their voyage and when they reach their intended destinations.
related posts
