More horror stories have emerged from African migrants’ perilous journeys across the Mediterranean.
At least 20 have been treated in Lampedusa for severe burns, after an accident.
It happened in Libya before their boat set sail, but the people smugglers refused to call for help to avoid being caught.
“A gas cylinder exploded and killed several people and injured many others. The traffickers would not allow them to leave and reach the hospitals so they did not get treatment for a few days. And then they were put on a boat, in fact on a rubber dinghy. And when rescuers arrived they had spent two days at sea, but they were drifting away because the rubber dinghy was half deflated already,” said Barbara Molinario of the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) which helped the burns victims after their high seas ordeal.
Lampedusa’s Chief of Health Services, Domenico Bartolo, said at least 10 of those in hospital were in a critical condition and might not survive.
The Italian Navy took others t
