In recent days, new elements and new rumors have emerged Refugees in Libya and Tunisia which indicate that the situation of those missing in the Mediterranean Sea is extremely critical. The denunciation by the president of Mediterranea Saving Humans, Laura Marmorale: «The contours of the greatest tragedy of recent years are emerging along the central Mediterranean routes and the governments of Italy and Malta are silent and do not lift a finger». At least 380 people have been missing in the Mediterranean since January 24th. The alert groups together a series of boats, eight, which left separately from the banks of Sfaxeastern coast of Tunisia. Their departure towards Europe occurred at the same time as the emergency linked to Cyclone Harry broke outwhich made the sea conditions impracticable for a crossing of this type: waves of over 7 meters and gusts of wind that have rarely been recorded in the Mediterranean.
Refugees’ testimonies provide a complete overview of the emergency experienced in this period. Since January 15, pressure has increased from the Tunisian military in the olive grove camps around the city of Sfax and, consequently, the tightening of controls on the beaches has been loosened. This opened the doors of various convoys to chase the dream of the old continent.
But the stretch of coast that goes from Sfax to Mahdia it has become a perimeter of broken dreams. It is estimated that a single trafficker, known as Mohamed “Mauritania”coordinated the departure of five convoys, each with over 50 people on board. The numbers of the tragedy unfold along the kilometers of the coast: Ten boats set sail between km 19 and 21, another seven from km 30. Of these, only one reached Lampedusa. On board was survivor Ramadan Konte.
No trace remains of the other boats, except in the complaints of those who remain. While dozens of bodies are recovered by Maltese authorities and civilian ships, the scale of what happened seems to far exceed the meager official versions. In this void of communication and relief, the central Mediterranean is confirmed as the route of deathwhere the silence of the Italian and Maltese institutions resonates louder than the noise of the waves that have swallowed hundreds of lives.
