Illegal immigrants in the Mediterranean left to fend for themselves

Illegal immigrants are left to fend for themselves in the Mediterranean Sea because, while over 100,000 have reached Italy since the turn of the year and some 2,000 have died trying dailymail.co.uk, the UK is to not willing to involve in their rescue operations.

According to the UN refugee body UNHCR, the reluctance of the British to launch rescue operations for illegal immigrants drowning in the Mediterranean Sea is because that could encourage more people to attempt the dangerous crossing from Africa. In the opinion of Britain, offering help will act as a 'pull factor' to others to seek refuge in Europe.
This decision has set off a debate – it has been condemned by campaigners. The Italian Mare Nostrum mission is scheduled to end and a more limited European Union border security operation is expected to be launched on November 1. As Refugee Council chief executive Maurice Wren has remarked - the British Government seems oblivious to the fact that the world is in the grip of the greatest refugee crisis since the Second World War.

In his opinion, the only outcome of withdrawing help would be to witness more people needlessly and shamefully dying on Europe's doorstep. The solution lies not in building the walls of fortress in Europe higher, but to extend more safe and legal channels for people to access protection.