The tragedy that took place Thursday on the coast of Lampedusa, Italy, has once more highlighted some of the biggest problems that beset Europe: the extreme poverty of remote areas, mafias profiting from thousands of immigrants and the xenophobia present in many countries of the old continent.
A few hours ago, the mayoress of Lampedusa, Giusi Nicolini, gathered testimonials from the survivors of the shipwreck in which almost 200 people lost their lives, who assured that "during the tragedy three fishing boats saw us, but nobody helped", ABC.es reported.
The scope of the tragedy has shocked most of Italy and the globe, especially Pope Francis, who on Thursday called the tragedy "an embarrassment," according to Mexican newspaper El Universal on its website.
"A Savage World That Doesn't Help"
The Argentinian Pope has been seen worried since yesterday, and this morning he condemned a "savage world that doesn't help."
According to information published by El Mundo, during his visit to Assisi, the city where Francis of Assisi, the saint that 800 years ago renounced all material goods and approached the poor and the homeless, the Pope made a call for all Christians to renounce "mundanity."
"This is a savage world that doesn't provide work, that doesn't help, that doesn't care if there are children starving, if there are families that have no food or the dignity to bring food home, if there are people fleeing from slavery, from hunger, seeking freedom and that many times find death, like what happened yesterday in Lampedusa", the Pope told El Mundo.
So far, there is no official figure of the deaths caused by the shipwrecks of a boat transporting 500 immigrants, mostly from Libya, who sought to reach the coast of Lampedusa, Italy.
According to the last report released by El País, 200 of the 500 immigrants travelling on the boat have been found dead, while 150 remain missing and 150 have been rescued.
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