Yesterday, we posted about Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS), a privately funded operation to assist refugees in trouble attempting to cross the Mediterranean. While we obviously wish them well, a recent report reminded us again of the scope of the refugee crisis. The Italian Navy’s Operation Mare Nostrum recently rescued close to 4,000 refugees in the Mediterranean near Sicily. Helicopters, patrol boats and frigates were part of the combined rescue operation.  Almost 110,000 people have been rescued since January, but nearly 2,000 have died attempting the crossing, according to the UN’s refugee agency.  The Mare Nostrum operation, costs £7.5m per month and was started in October 2013 after 360 migrants drowned off the Sicilian island of Lampedusa.

Italian Navy Rescues 4,000 Migrants Off the Italian Coast

A large majority of the people reaching Italy are refugees from war and tyranny in Syria, Eritrea and Somalia, so they have a good case for claiming asylum.

However, many asylum seekers do not want to stay in Italy, which is in the grips of an economic crisis and has high unemployment rates. Preferably, they are seeking to move on to more prosperious EU countries.

International law states that refugees must claim asylum in the first safe haven they reach, and in the case of the EU that is usually Italy, as it is geographically close to Africa.

Five Italian warships are dedicated full-time to Operation Mare Nostrum.

“We do not want a sea of death,” said Rear-Admiral Michele Saponaro, who runs the operation from the naval command centre.

Thanks to Alaric Bond for passing the news along.