Migrants die in boat tragedy

Around 75 African migrants have drowned in the Mediterranean after their stranded boat ran out of fuel and then drifted for days.

5 survivors were taken to the Italian island of Lampedusa.

Not for the first time the Italian Government has asked European countries to get involved giving new homes to economic migrants.

Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said:

“Europe is geting this wrong, this issue is a European question.

“There should be a fair distribution of these immigrants, not only to Italy and Malta where they are landing on the coast. “

Just under 40,000 illegal immigrants arrived from Africa into Italy last year. Most make landfall at Lampedusa.

Italy was criticised by human rights groups for deporting many of them back to countries like Libya.

The United Nations says this policy breaks international treaties on the rights of asylum seekers, although most of those making the perilous crossing are economic migrants.

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tags: European Union, Immigration, Italy