Kirsty.Cameron [at] rescue.org
Tom Garofalo, the International Rescue Committee’s Country Director for Libya, said: In the past 2 days, we have seen a worrying spike in the number of people attempting the treacherous journey to Europe from Libya. At least 1,200 people have left the country in flimsy, overcrowded rafts, so desperate to reach safety that they’ve been willing to risk their own lives, and those of their children, on the world’s most dangerous sea crossing.
“Over 800 of those who’ve attempted this journey have been brought back by the Libyan Coast Guard so far, and our teams are currently on standby to provide emergency medical care for four more boats carrying at least 247 more survivors - including three children, at least one of whom had hypothermia - as well as the bodies of two men who tragically didn’t survive. In just the last 48 hours we ve carried out three emergency responses.