At least 114 illegal immigrants lost their lives in Europe during the month of December last year, with one of the fatalities occurring just off the coast of
Malta.
Another three migrants drowned in Turkish waters, while two illegal immigrants asphyxiated on a truck in which they were hidden on a ferry sailing to
Italy. Quoting Fortress Europe, NewsCentralAsia said that four others victims were registered in three different s detention centers in
Italy,
France and
Russia.
The largest tragedy, however, occurred between
Senegal and the
Canary islands, where 108 migrants lost their lives at sea. It is estimated that a total of 5,856 persons died along European Union frontiers since 1988, among them 1,949 missing at sea.
In the recent years, Malta has rescued thousands of illegal immigrants who encountered problems as sea while crossing over to Europe form the African continent.
Last December EU leadersĄŻ announced plans to increase extra sea-patrols to locate migrants seeking to reach Europe from
Africa and pledged a strategy on illegal immigration.
This means that round-the-clock patrols of the EU's southern borders should start by May under an agreement that aims to stem illegal migration from northern
Africa to the EU.
The union is also set to start promoting lawful working routes to its labour market and make way for the possible introduction of a European version of the
US green card.
Read more about this issue on MaltaMedia's special feature: Lanċa Ġejja u O©€ra Sejra: Malta and its migrations.
