The Tragedy of Lampedusa: It Isn’t the First Time
Sophie Culpepper
On October 3rd, a trawler carrying approximately 500 immigrants capsized off the coast of Lampedusa, Italy. At least 339 people were killed, including several children; some bodies still remain missing. The rickety vessel had embarked from Misurata, Libya, and its passengers were mostly of Eritrean and Somali origins.
The would-be immigrants remained at sea for two days before Lampedusa was sighted shortly before the dawn of the third day. Less than a quarter of a mile away from the shore, the engine stalled and began to leak gas. Shortly after, the boat began to take on water. One of the passengers lit a blanket with a match in an attempt to attract attention from anyone on land. Instead of eliciting aid, the flaming blanket ignited the leaked gas from the non-functioning engine, causing all passengers to veer to the opposite side of the vessel in a panic. This unbalanced concentration of weight was the reason the already unstable craft capsized, according to survivors, first responders and members of the Italian coast guard. The majority of the passengers did not know how to swim; over 300 people drowned within sight of their destination. Only 155 people, less than one third of the trawler’s original passengers, were rescued.