Pope demands protection for migrants as sea search continues
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis demanded Sunday that “every possible measure” be taken to protect young refugees, as search and rescue efforts continued off Libya’s coast following the latest deadly Mediterranean migrant shipwreck.
Italy’s coast guard said only four people survived the sinking of a migrant ship carrying around 100 people that went down 30 miles (50 kilometres) off the Libyan coast on Saturday. Only eight bodies have been recovered.
In his noon blessing, Francis recalled that the theme of the church’s World Day of Migrants celebrated Sunday concerned the particular vulnerability of young migrants — “our young brothers” who often flee home alone and face “so many dangers.”
“We must adopt every possible measure to guarantee young migrants protection and defence, as well as integration,” he said.