James BryceSPAIN is facing heavy criticism after 61 African migrants, including two babies, died of thirst and starvation while adrift in the Mediterranean.
A nine-month investigation revealed that a catalogue of failures involving Spain, Italy and NATO, had led to a tragedy that ‘could have been avoided’.
It found that distress calls went unanswered for days, despite ships including a Spanish frigate, Mendez Nunez, being in the immediate vicinity.
The Council of Europe report highlights errors by military and commercial vessels sailing nearby, plus ambiguity in the coastguards’ distress calls.
It also claims there was confusion about which authorities were responsible for mounting a rescue.
“Many opportunities for saving the lives of the persons on board the boat were lost,” the report says.
It adds that those who died ‘could have been rescued if all those involved had complied with their obligations’.
In a letter to the inquiry, Spain’s defence ministry claimed the Mendez Nunez had not received any communication about the migrant boat, contradicting Nato’s claims.
Interesting but sad – is there ANY inquiry into WHO put them into an UN seaworthy boat, with IN adeguate food/water/life preservers/communications systems,to make an IL legal immigration into Spain withOUT proper documents?
It’s the would-be RESCUERS fault – please!??
Best Of Spain: Poverty and desperation put them in that boat. The attitude you display left them there. There weren’t any rescuers, that’s just the point.
lets follow the USA on this one… If the immigrants can get both feet on the beach they get citizanship. If they drown we’ll send the body and a bill back to the other side.
Of course this wouldnt work. The other side says the immigrants dont leave from there. (yeah right).
Telling the world “we are not responsible for you going to sea unprepared” would get stopped by all those bleedin heart types (that have never dealt with the world outside their middleclass bubbles).
Just out of curiosity, If the coast guard went on strike would there be more immigrants, or more deaths?
Unfortunately, here in America, the Democrats cast their nets far and wide, getting every illegal they can find… then bring them here, and sign them up for welfare if they only promise to vote (illegally) for the Democrats. Why is it Spain’s fault that they tried to come in illegally?