Europe "bears responsibility" for the growing number of dead migrants in the Mediterranean in recent months, including "there are babies and children", Médecins Sans Frontières and SOS Mediterranee said on Thursday, denouncing the "blockade" of rescue ships of NGOs from European countries.
The two non-governmental organizations in a joint statement state:
"More than 600 people have drowned in the last four weeks trying to cross the central Mediterranean, including babies and young children."
According to the two NGOs, the deaths of the last month represent half of the number of the whole year.
"These tragedies occurred because there are no more non-governmental rescue ships in the central Mediterranean."
The NGOs claim that the political decisions taken by European countries in recent weeks have had deadly consequences. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) chief Carlin Kleicher called the decision by European countries to allow men, women and children to drown in the Mediterranean Sea a "scandalous and unacceptable situation".
Médecins Sans Frontières and SOS Mediterranee, referring to the European Union's decision at the 28 and 29 July Summit on Migrants, say:
"European governments are fully aware of the alarming levels of violence and exploitation of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in Libya, but are determined to prevent these people from approaching Europe at all costs."