Desperate straits

250 nautical miles separating the Libyan coast from Sicily prove to be deadly for thousands of refugees trying to make the passage. The lucky ones saved by Italian coast guards or NGO rescue boats join 3 million Africans who had already fled crises in their own countries and the abuse they faced in Libya, where some of them had spent years as slaves. In the meantime, Italians start to question the altruism of rescuers, as investigations into corruptive schemes deployed by the international mafia are underway.

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