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Wealthy Migrants Paying Smugglers Thousands to Flee to Europe by Yacht

© REUTERS / Ciro De LucaMigrants stand on board of Italian Navy ship Chimera before to be disembarked in the southern harbour of Salerno April 22, 2015
Migrants stand on board of Italian Navy ship Chimera before to be disembarked in the southern harbour of Salerno April 22, 2015 - Sputnik International
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According to reports, wealthy Syrians and Palestinians are paying human smugglers thousands of dollars to come to Europe by yacht.

Migrants arrive at the port in the Tunisian town of Zarzis, some 50 kilometres west of the Libyan border, following their rescue by Tunisia's coastguard and navy after their vessel overturned off Libya, on April 13, 2015 - Sputnik International
Italy Needs to Improve Migrants Reception, Rules Out Naval Blockade
MOSCOW (Sputnik) As hundreds of migrants drown while trying to cross Mediterranean to Italy in ragged boats, wealthy Syrians and Palestinians are paying human smugglers thousands of dollars to come to Europe by yacht, the Telegraph reported Wednesday.

According to the newspaper, earlier this week Italian police impounded a private yacht in Sicily after it brought 98 migrants from the Turkish coast. The migrants paid $9,100 per adult and were provided with life jackets, food and water and were even taking selfies on their way to Italy.

"The crew were very experienced and told us that our safety was important to them," a migrant who travelled on the yacht said, as quoted by the Telegraph.

Armed Forces of Malta personnel in protective clothing carry the body of a dead immigrant off Italian coastguard ship Bruno Gregoretti as surviving migrants watch in Senglea, in Valletta's Grand Harbour, April 20, 2015 - Sputnik International
Mediterranean Migrants Death Toll Could Reach 30,000 by End 2015 – NGO

Italian coast guards have been told to watch for yachts sitting suspiciously low in the water, as they may be overloaded with migrants.

Instability in the Middle East and Libya, including the advance of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group, prompted many to seek refuge in Europe, with the Mediterranean Sea being one of the main routes to get there.

Last week, a boat carrying some 800 migrants sank while heading from Libya to Italy. Only 28 people were rescued.

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