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| Italy Rescues Hundreds of Migrants on Freighter Abandoned by Crew | Italy Rescues Hundreds of Migrants on Freighter Abandoned by Crew |
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| VERBANIA, Italy — For the second time in three days, the Italian authorities found themselves racing on Friday to rescue hundreds of migrants from an aging freighter that traffickers had pointed toward Italy and then abandoned, leaving the ship to plow through wintry seas at top speed with no one at the helm, heading straight for the coastline. | |
| Rescuers were able to board the ship only after it ran out of fuel and stopped, and by afternoon they were towing it toward shore. But the episode was further confirmation that traffickers have hit on a new tactic to extract ever greater profits from human misery while eluding apprehension. | |
| The latest drama came as the Ezadeen, a 49-year-old livestock carrier sailing under the flag of Sierra Leone, headed for the coast of southeastern Italy, in the eastern Mediterranean, with an estimated 450 people on board. There were reports that after six days at sea, the migrants, including pregnant women and dozens of children, had exhausted the supplies of food, water and milk on board. | |
| “When we called the ship to ask about its status, a migrant woman responded, saying, ‘We are alone, and we have no one to help us,’ ” said Cmdr. Filippo Marini, an Italian Coast Guard spokesman. He said the ship, which departed from a Turkish port, had been left on autopilot. Paramedics reported that the migrants, most of whom were believed to be Syrian, were in good health, he added. | “When we called the ship to ask about its status, a migrant woman responded, saying, ‘We are alone, and we have no one to help us,’ ” said Cmdr. Filippo Marini, an Italian Coast Guard spokesman. He said the ship, which departed from a Turkish port, had been left on autopilot. Paramedics reported that the migrants, most of whom were believed to be Syrian, were in good health, he added. |
| Until recently, migrants coming to Italy by sea arrived primarily in smaller boats that sailed north from North Africa. The shift to steel-hulled cargo ships approaching from the east denotes a new strategy, an Italian naval official said, and traffickers are “secure in the knowledge that no one is going to allow a boat to crash on Italian or Greek shores.” | Until recently, migrants coming to Italy by sea arrived primarily in smaller boats that sailed north from North Africa. The shift to steel-hulled cargo ships approaching from the east denotes a new strategy, an Italian naval official said, and traffickers are “secure in the knowledge that no one is going to allow a boat to crash on Italian or Greek shores.” |
| In record numbers, fugitives from war zones, failed states or repressive regimes routinely pay up to $6,000 each for a chance to fulfill dreams of security and new lives in Europe, braving not only rough seas and capricious journeys but also a groundswell of hostility toward immigrants across the Continent. | In record numbers, fugitives from war zones, failed states or repressive regimes routinely pay up to $6,000 each for a chance to fulfill dreams of security and new lives in Europe, braving not only rough seas and capricious journeys but also a groundswell of hostility toward immigrants across the Continent. |
| “The money involved is huge,” said William Spindler, a spokesman for the United Nations refugee agency. | “The money involved is huge,” said William Spindler, a spokesman for the United Nations refugee agency. |
| The first rescue vessel to come to the aid of the stricken Ezadeen was an Icelandic patrol boat sailing as part of a program coordinated by Frontex, the European border agency. But the seas were too rough for rescuers to cross from one vessel to the other, and an Italian helicopter was called in to airlift coast guard officials onto the boat. | The first rescue vessel to come to the aid of the stricken Ezadeen was an Icelandic patrol boat sailing as part of a program coordinated by Frontex, the European border agency. But the seas were too rough for rescuers to cross from one vessel to the other, and an Italian helicopter was called in to airlift coast guard officials onto the boat. |
| After several hours of effort, and after the 240-foot Ezadeen had run out of fuel, the Icelandic Coast Guard ship took it under tow, Commander Marini said. | After several hours of effort, and after the 240-foot Ezadeen had run out of fuel, the Icelandic Coast Guard ship took it under tow, Commander Marini said. |
| Some analysts said the change in the traffickers’ tactics had occurred since Italy phased out an ambitious and costly search-and-rescue operation called Mare Nostrum, which located and rescued dozens of boats used by migrants. That program has been replaced by one called Triton, which involves 19 nations and is overseen by Frontex. | |
| In the past, traffickers in North Africa loaded migrants onto smaller vessels that are relatively easy to operate, said Izabella Cooper, a spokeswoman for Frontex. “But a freighter needs specialized skills; it’s a far more dangerous situation,” she said. The Ezadeen was headed for Italy at full speed when it was detected Thursday night, she added. | |
| Carlotta Sami, a spokeswoman for the United Nations refugee agency, told Reuters that over the past two months, smugglers were increasingly using old cargo ships ready to be dismantled. “They usually don’t even have any electronic equipment on board,” she said. The smugglers are using bigger ships because the end of the Mare Nostrum program makes crossing in smaller boats much more risky, she added. | Carlotta Sami, a spokeswoman for the United Nations refugee agency, told Reuters that over the past two months, smugglers were increasingly using old cargo ships ready to be dismantled. “They usually don’t even have any electronic equipment on board,” she said. The smugglers are using bigger ships because the end of the Mare Nostrum program makes crossing in smaller boats much more risky, she added. |
| In a posting on Twitter on Friday, the Italian Coast Guard said the vessel was being towed toward the coastal town of Corigliano Calabro. It is expected to arrive there in the late evening. | In a posting on Twitter on Friday, the Italian Coast Guard said the vessel was being towed toward the coastal town of Corigliano Calabro. It is expected to arrive there in the late evening. |
| Antonio Saccone, an analyst at Frontex, said the use of bigger ships “shows how powerful and sophisticated the smuggling networks have become.” | Antonio Saccone, an analyst at Frontex, said the use of bigger ships “shows how powerful and sophisticated the smuggling networks have become.” |
| By Italian accounts, each journey of a big steel-hulled vessel carrying hundreds of migrants could yield smugglers up to $1 million. “It’s a precious cargo, and even after factoring in costs, it’s clearly an effective system,” said an Italian Navy official, speaking on the condition of anonymity under institutional protocols. | By Italian accounts, each journey of a big steel-hulled vessel carrying hundreds of migrants could yield smugglers up to $1 million. “It’s a precious cargo, and even after factoring in costs, it’s clearly an effective system,” said an Italian Navy official, speaking on the condition of anonymity under institutional protocols. |
| The latest rescue unfolded just days after the Italian authorities boarded a freighter, the Moldovan-registered Blue Sky M, carrying more than 700 people, many of them fleeing Syria’s civil war. That vessel was also abandoned by its crew after setting out from Turkey. | The latest rescue unfolded just days after the Italian authorities boarded a freighter, the Moldovan-registered Blue Sky M, carrying more than 700 people, many of them fleeing Syria’s civil war. That vessel was also abandoned by its crew after setting out from Turkey. |
| But the two vessels rescued this week were only the latest among at least 15 others that have left the coast of Turkey since the end of September, said Adm. Giovanni Pettorino of the Italian Coast Guard. “We’re very concerned about the practice of abandoning the migrants at sea,” he said. | But the two vessels rescued this week were only the latest among at least 15 others that have left the coast of Turkey since the end of September, said Adm. Giovanni Pettorino of the Italian Coast Guard. “We’re very concerned about the practice of abandoning the migrants at sea,” he said. |
| Last month, the United Nations refugee agency said that over 200,000 refugees and migrants had arrived in European countries in 2014, compared with 60,000 in 2013. A large majority of them — 160,000 — arrived in Italy by sea. Almost half the migrants were citizens of Syria and Eritrea, in the Horn of Africa. | Last month, the United Nations refugee agency said that over 200,000 refugees and migrants had arrived in European countries in 2014, compared with 60,000 in 2013. A large majority of them — 160,000 — arrived in Italy by sea. Almost half the migrants were citizens of Syria and Eritrea, in the Horn of Africa. |
| Flavio Di Giacomo, a spokesman for the International Organization for Migration, quoted migrants rescued earlier this week aboard the Blue Sky M as saying that the ship had set sail from Turkey. | Flavio Di Giacomo, a spokesman for the International Organization for Migration, quoted migrants rescued earlier this week aboard the Blue Sky M as saying that the ship had set sail from Turkey. |
| Typically, migrants said they were put on small wooden boats and rowed to larger vessels at sea. | Typically, migrants said they were put on small wooden boats and rowed to larger vessels at sea. |
| “It’s worrisome, because this new route seems to have very well-organized traffickers,” Mr. Di Giacomo said. “And if they manage to make a lot of money, they’ll be able to buy other ships. | “It’s worrisome, because this new route seems to have very well-organized traffickers,” Mr. Di Giacomo said. “And if they manage to make a lot of money, they’ll be able to buy other ships. |
| “Mare Nostrum may have ended, but migrants keep coming,” Mr. Di Giacomo said. “The reason people come is because their countries are in crisis.” | “Mare Nostrum may have ended, but migrants keep coming,” Mr. Di Giacomo said. “The reason people come is because their countries are in crisis.” |