June 17, 2011. (Romereports.com) The Vatican published shocking statistics on immigration. In the first five months of this year, at least 1, 820 illegal immigrants died while trying to cross the Mediterranean. Even more shocking,  17, 597 people have died in similar circumstances, since 1990, while trying to get to Europe.


The Vatican says, the statistics are probably more tragic "when one considers all the people who were aboard vessels that haven't been found or  that never reached the port."

According to the Vatican the most dangerous sea paths to Europe include the routes from Tunisia and Libya. Since January,  at least 1, 820 people  died while taking those paths. Over 1,600 of them were from Libya, the rest from Tunisia.

With these statistics, the Vatican says “one cannot be silent.”

The president of the Pontifical Council for immigrants, Archbishop Antonio Maria Veglio, said “controlling the flow of immigration is necessary, but it must be based on principles of solidarity."
He recalled that "these illegal immigrants are men, women and children fleeing war, human rights violations and persecution. Often, instead of finding a safe place, they find death instead.” He also urged the international community to consider safe humanitarian routes "to ensure that people can travel safely.”

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