Imogen Calderwood
SPANISH emergency services have picked up nearly 1,000 migrants from the Strait of Gibraltar in just two days.
Dozens of small boats and makeshift rafts carrying 982 migrants were stopped in the 15km-wide stretch of water on Monday and Tuesday this week, according to the Maritime Safety Agency.
On Tuesday alone, 78 boats and rafts – also carrying 95 women and 20 children – crossed the shipping lane, often a focus for migrant efforts to reach Europe.
Authorities have highlighted calm seas and warm weather as possible reasons for the rush over the last 48 hours.
Security boosts at the borders of Spanish enclaves Ceuta and Melilla – the only land borders between Europe and Africa – in the past weeks could also have increased efforts to cross by water.
More than 75,000 people have tried to cross the Mediterranean from Africa so far this year, putting pressure on Spain, Italy, Greece and Malta, with an estimated 800 people dying in the attempt.
Around 10,500 children – the majority separated from their families – are included in the number, as people flee violence in Africa and the Middle East.
These poor African migrants need to be treated with respect and comprehensive aid programmes need to be set up faster by the Spanish Government because thousands of more refugees will
be heading this way soon.
Spain has raked in billions of euros from EU support, its
time to for Spain to help and support others in need.
Cameron and the British government could offer assistance,
Britain is a rich country and its about time Britain started
upping its game in assisting poor migrants.
Antony why do you not pay the money needed? What gives you the right to spend others money?
It is so sad to see this going on but the only way to stop it which we must do is to get the UN and african council to grow some balls and tackle these despot rulers of these sub Sahara countries so there countries wealth goes to its people not Switzerland locked in vaults. You could also say the same for the arab league while they sit back and watch carnage take place in fellow arab countries and do nothing.
over the years Billions of Pounds Euros and so on has been pumped into Africa /what apart from a few small success stories has it been spent on/water aid to villages
a lot of the money goes into the pockets of the ruling classes and they feel no responsibility to help the people/
in fact a rich African family was asked how in such a poor country they could justify the money they had /Their answer God wills It
Antony, Britain already spends billions of Pounds in overseas aid which is far more than many other countries (certainly the largest contributor in Europe) so why are you singling us out? Why not ask some of the oil rich middle eastern countries, they have plenty of money and could help out more.
Don’t you watch the news, the UK is always at the forefront of supplying aid to troubled parts of the world and are currently offering aid to those poor stranded people in northern Iraq.
If you are British, you should know all the above but if you are not, why not ask your own country to contribute more and “up their game”.
Interesting how keen Cameron is to back up the Yanks efforts in Iraq (Oil?). Ukraine (against Putin?). But not too swift to help equally abused people in Gaza. All “aid” comes with strings and is often in the form of arms which helps to keep Britains war factories busy.
And the connection is stefanjo?
I thought America was all but self sufficient in oil production…….
Whats has the UK given to the Gaza terrorist [Hamas]?, something like 7.50 million……Mmmmm, buys lots of rockets and keeps their leaders in 5star hotels [where they have been and are at the moment]……
Putin…..Now there a nice honest chap [ex-KGB].
Well you thought wrong Ray.America will suck up every last drop given the opportunity. You don’t really think their motives are humanitarian do you? As for Gaza/Israel. The billions (with a “B” not an “M”) poured into Israel to oppress their imprisoned neighbours, dwarfs any bits and pieces dribbled to Gaza, which, of course, is the Warsaw Ghetto writ large.
Rockets? Never heard what cornered rats do?
The thing that Russia/Amerika miss most is the Cold War. It kept their populations in fear and justified the Military Industrial complex coddling their elite in conditions way above five star hotels. The Ukraine set-up is a perfect chance to regain that scenario for both sides.
If you haven’t done so, read Orwells 1984.
Apologies to O.P. for straying from the subject.
Hoa much poor Africans would you allow Anthony ? How about ebola ?
Let’s hope none are infected with Ebola.
Its Antony not Anthony luc de waen,
Whats Ebola got do with these migrants fleeing extreme poverty and possible death in their own countries for a chance of a better life somewhere else.
Bet you would be the first in the boat if you were in their
situations BUT YOUR NOT so your alright Jack!
Wheres your humanity?
What you do in life echoes in eternity ENJOY!
Antony : don t blabla me, just answer the question : how many do you accept ? Who decides who can come and who not ? How will you help them here ? I have done more to help people then you can imagine…so stop waving your bible at me and just explain how you will do this ? simple question…..