A one-year-old child arrived on the Italian island of Lampedusa after making the perilous journey across the Mediterranean alone, even before learning to walk. Who is this child? How did he undertake this harsh journey without his parents?
According to the Italian newspaper "La Repubblica," rescuers found the barely one-year-old child among 70 men in a boat that docked on the island of Sicily. Italian media reported on Saturday (December 18, 2021), that a one-year-old child made the dangerous crossing of the Mediterranean alone after being sent by his parents to Lampedusa. The newspaper stated that rescuers found the child among 70 men in a boat that docked in Sicily on Friday.
The report added that around 500 migrants arrived on the small island over the past two days across seven separate trips. It continued, "He crossed the Mediterranean even before he learned to walk. He faced the waves alone," confirming that the child is "too young to disclose his name and story."
Other migrants did not know the child's identity, but it is claimed that his parents begged them to ensure his safety during the crossing, possibly because they could not accompany him, according to the newspaper. Among the other new migrants was a boy of fourteen whose mother died while attempting a rescue off the island.
The organization Doctors Without Borders stated on Twitter, "She was on a boat with 25 people, including her son who watched her drown." The organization added that it was "another avoidable loss at Europe's doorstep, a new life lost due to irresponsible migration policies."
It is noted that the number of migrants wishing to reach Europe via the Mediterranean from Libya or Tunisia has significantly increased compared to previous years. According to the International Organization for Migration, around 1,340 people have died while attempting to cross the Mediterranean since the beginning of the year.
