Cold hearts

Op-Ed by John Guy

Winter is coming and that is good news for the people of Sicily. Winter brings rough seas and rough seas deter the people smugglers who are flooding the Mediterranean with would-be asylum seekers from Africa. Sicily is in the front line and has taken in more than its fair share of desperate Africans and Arabs.

Winter also brings cold hearts. The Italian Navy is suspending its search and rescue operation in the Mediterranean this week, and the UK has quietly withdrawn support for any replacement. The news was sneaked out because it is not something you would want to boast about. “Rich countries leave poor refugees to drown” is not a great headline, but it is the truth.

The UK says rescuing migrants from leaky boats encourages more of them, and Italy says while it has rescued 150,000 asylum seekers this year, it thinks 2,500 have drowned or been killed and it cannot do more.

The EU border force Frontex will put up a smaller operation close to the Italian coast. The UK contribution is one immigration officer to de-brief the asylum seekers who make it.

I feel ashamed.

John Guy served on merchant ships and warships for sixteen years before becoming a ship inspector and then a journalist. He advises companies and organizations working in the global shipping industry on media and crisis management. His most recent novels are The Reluctant Pirate and The Golden Tide.