Catania, Sicily While poverty-stricken Africans and Asians are packed like slaves into leaky fishing boats crossing the Mediterranean from Libya, a new type of “first-class” refugee is emerging — wealthy Syrians paying thousands of pounds to be taken to Europe in yachts and motor launches.
Italian police this week impounded a private yacht in the port of Pozzallo, Sicily, after it brought 98 Syrians and Palestinians from Turkey, with each adult refugee paying €8,500 (Dh33,733) to smugglers. There was a discount for the 23 children on board. The refugees, believed to be relatively wealthy middle-class professionals, even took photographs of each other on board the 25-metre boat.
Police used the photographs to identify three Syrian alleged smugglers — Ahmad Sabaji, 25, Billah Arroum, 30, and Mustafa Aju Slima, 28. They were arrested and are now in custody, waiting to be charged with aiding and abetting illegal immigration. The Syrians and Palestinians were given life jackets and adequate food and water. “We paid a great deal of money so as not to die at sea,” one told Italian police. “The crew were very experienced and told us that our safety was important to them.”
The yacht sailed from the Turkish coast, with the intention of crossing the Aegean and reaching an Italian port. But the engine broke down and the yacht started drifting. It was spotted by a merchant ship, which took the refugees and alleged smugglers on board and took them to Pozzallo. The refugees are expected to apply for asylum.