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A photograph of a
drowned migrant baby in the arms of a German rescuer was distributed on
Monday, May 30 by a humanitarian organization aiming to persuade European
authorities to ensure safe passage to migrants, after hundreds are
feared to have drowned in the Mediterranean last week.
drowned migrant baby in the arms of a German rescuer was distributed on
Monday, May 30 by a humanitarian organization aiming to persuade European
authorities to ensure safe passage to migrants, after hundreds are
feared to have drowned in the Mediterranean last week.
The
baby, who appears to be no more than a year old, was pulled from the
sea on Friday after the capsizing of a wooden boat. Forty-five bodies
arrived in the southern Italian port of Reggio Calabria on Sunday aboard
an Italian navy ship, which picked up 135 survivors from the same
incident.
baby, who appears to be no more than a year old, was pulled from the
sea on Friday after the capsizing of a wooden boat. Forty-five bodies
arrived in the southern Italian port of Reggio Calabria on Sunday aboard
an Italian navy ship, which picked up 135 survivors from the same
incident.
German humanitarian
organization Sea-Watch, operating a rescue boat in the sea between Libya
and Italy, distributed the picture taken by a media production company
on board and which showed a rescuer cradling the child like a sleeping
baby.
organization Sea-Watch, operating a rescue boat in the sea between Libya
and Italy, distributed the picture taken by a media production company
on board and which showed a rescuer cradling the child like a sleeping
baby.
In an email, the rescuer, who
gave his name as Martin but did not want his family name published,
said he had spotted the baby in the water “like a doll, arms
outstretched”.
gave his name as Martin but did not want his family name published,
said he had spotted the baby in the water “like a doll, arms
outstretched”.
“I took hold of the
forearm of the baby and pulled the light body protectively into my arms
at once, as if it were still alive … It held out its arms with tiny
fingers into the air, the sun shone into its bright, friendly but
motionless eyes.”
forearm of the baby and pulled the light body protectively into my arms
at once, as if it were still alive … It held out its arms with tiny
fingers into the air, the sun shone into its bright, friendly but
motionless eyes.”
The rescuer, a
father of three and by profession a music therapist, added: “I began to
sing to comfort myself and to give some kind of expression to this
incomprehensible, heart-rending moment. Just six hours ago this child
was alive.”
father of three and by profession a music therapist, added: “I began to
sing to comfort myself and to give some kind of expression to this
incomprehensible, heart-rending moment. Just six hours ago this child
was alive.”
Like the photograph of
the three-year-old Syrian boy Aylan lying lifeless on a Turkish beach
last year, the image puts a human face on the more than 8,000 people who
have died in the Mediterranean since the start of 2014.
the three-year-old Syrian boy Aylan lying lifeless on a Turkish beach
last year, the image puts a human face on the more than 8,000 people who
have died in the Mediterranean since the start of 2014.
Little
is known about the child, who according to Sea-Watch was immediately
handed over to the Italian navy. Rescuers could not confirm whether the
partially clothed infant was a boy or a girl and it is not known whether
the child’s mother or father are among the survivors.
is known about the child, who according to Sea-Watch was immediately
handed over to the Italian navy. Rescuers could not confirm whether the
partially clothed infant was a boy or a girl and it is not known whether
the child’s mother or father are among the survivors.
Sea-Watch
collected about 25 other bodies, including another child, according to
testimony from the crew seen by Reuters. The Sea-Watch team said it
unanimously decided to publish the photo.
collected about 25 other bodies, including another child, according to
testimony from the crew seen by Reuters. The Sea-Watch team said it
unanimously decided to publish the photo.
“In
the wake of the disastrous events it becomes obvious to the
organizations on the ground that the calls by EU politicians to avoid
further death at sea sum up to nothing more than lip service,” Sea-Watch
said in a statement in English distributed along with the photograph.
the wake of the disastrous events it becomes obvious to the
organizations on the ground that the calls by EU politicians to avoid
further death at sea sum up to nothing more than lip service,” Sea-Watch
said in a statement in English distributed along with the photograph.
“If we do not want
to see such pictures we have to stop producing them,” Sea-Watch said,
calling for Europe to allow migrants safe and legal passage as a way of
shutting down people smuggling and further tragedies.
to see such pictures we have to stop producing them,” Sea-Watch said,
calling for Europe to allow migrants safe and legal passage as a way of
shutting down people smuggling and further tragedies.
At
least 700 migrants may have died at sea this past week in the busiest
week of migrant crossings from Libya towards Italy this year, the UN
Refugee agency said on Sunday.
least 700 migrants may have died at sea this past week in the busiest
week of migrant crossings from Libya towards Italy this year, the UN
Refugee agency said on Sunday.
The
boat carrying the baby left the shores of Libya near Sabratha late on
Thursday, and then began to take on water, according to accounts by
survivors collected by Save the Children on Sunday. Hundreds were on
board when it capsized, the survivors said.
boat carrying the baby left the shores of Libya near Sabratha late on
Thursday, and then began to take on water, according to accounts by
survivors collected by Save the Children on Sunday. Hundreds were on
board when it capsized, the survivors said.
Photo Credit: Christian Buettner/Eikon Nord GmbH Germany via Reuters
