Eritreans in search of safety
“On 3 October 2016, a joint team from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and SOS Méditerranée rescued 721 people from an overcrowded wooden boat drifting off the coast of Libya. Of these people, 685 (95%) were from Eritrea, and 197 (25%) of the Eritreans were unaccompanied children. Of the women on board, several were pregnant and others were severely sick. Many of those we rescued demonstrated physical and psychological trauma from beatings, rapes, threats and deprived living conditions throughout their journey – from Eritrea, through Ethiopia, Sudan and the Sahara desert to Libya. They showed us their scars and told us their terrible stories. We identified their ailments and treated them as best we could. The majority said they were aware of the dangers of crossing the Mediterranean Sea, but considered it their only option to seek safety and protection.”