Pope Francis has said that Europe must “open its hearts” to refugees, as he met with survivors and relatives of the tragic shipwreck that took the lives of more than 300 migrants last year.
The wooden boat, carrying hundreds of Somali and Eritrean migrants, caught fire and sank just half a mile off the Mediterranean island of Lampedusa, off southern Italy. The island is the first port of call for many seeking new lives in Europe and more than 100,000 have made the journey this year, often on unseaworthy and overcrowded boats.
Francis met 20 of the survivors, all Eritreans, and their families, at the Vatican, a day before they travelled back to the island to commemorate the first anniversary of the tragedy.
Some of them have still not identified loved ones they lost in the disaster and will undertake DNA tests.
The Pope appeared overcome with emotion as he confessed that he did not know what to say to people who had “suffered so much”.
He called on European men and women to open their hearts to the migrants’ plight. “I want to say that I am close to you, I pray for you and I pray that all closed doors shall open”.
Rescue efforts were stepped up after the Lampedusa tragedy, but that led to an increase in the number of people trying to make the crossing. Italy has asked for help with sea patrols from other nations but has received very little.
Francis has previously said that the door of convents and monasteries should be thrown open to migrants.
On a visit to the island last year shortly before the tragedy he denounced “the globalisation of indifference” towards migrants who risk their lives trying to reach Europe from Africa.
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