Mediterranean Sea 'largest cemetery in Europe', says Pope

Refugees are seen after being rescued from the Mediterranean Sea on 15 June 2017 [Marcus Drinkwater/Anadolu Agency]

The Mediterranean Sea, which desperate refugees and migrants regularly attempt to cross in the hope of a better life, is the “largest cemetery in Europe”, Pope Francis said yesterday.

Immigration European Union - Cartoon [Latuff/MiddleEastMonitor]

Immigration European Union – Cartoon [Cartoon Latuff/MiddleEastMonitor]

The Pope, who frequently draws attention to the plight of refugees, made his remarks at St Peter’s Square in the city of Vatican.

He also spoke about a new memorial erected in the Sicilian city of Syracuse, where many migrants drowned in 2015 after the boat they were aboard sunk.

The wreck was recovered by the Italian navy a year later, and it is now being used to serve as a tribute to the dead.

“May this symbol of many tragedies in the Mediterranean continue to appeal to the conscience of all,” the Pope said, according to DPA.

The United Nations recently said that more than 670 migrants had died in the Mediterranean so far this year.

READ: Pope Francis digs into Western arms manufacturing countries for creating refugees

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