They laughed as they left 500 to die, migrant shipwreck survivors reveal
Survivors of migrant shipwreck say traffickers rammed boat with 500 on board when they wouldn't change boats, then waited to watch it sink
Survivors of Europe's most deadly migrant shipwreck in years have described the horrifying moment traffickers capsized their boat and left them to drown, as the EU cried murder and vowed to step up the fight against people smugglers.
Fresh witness testimony confirmed about 500 people drowned after their boat sank off Malta eight days ago, including up to 100 children making the treacherous journey from Egypt to Italy, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said.
"After they hit our boat they waited to make sure that it had sunk completely before leaving. They were laughing," one survivor told the Geneva-based organisation.
According to the UN's refugee agency (UNHCR), more than 2,500 people have drowned or gone missing attempting the crossing this year, and in several separate incidents survivors have spoken of traffickers overfilling rickety boats or locking people below decks to suffocate.
"These are not accidents but murders. We'll increase and intensify our efforts to fight human trafficking," said Michele Cercone, spokesman for EU Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom.
"This latest tragedy shows that despite the efforts put in place we'll witness these kind of problems as long as the pitiless smugglers who are the real criminals behind this are free to act," he said.