A high-speed ocean joy ride last week wasn’t due to mechanical failure, bad weather, or poor steering. Smugglers purposefully sent the cargo ship speeding toward the Italian coast—while the criminals themselves probably jumped ship. Travelers on the fast-moving boat stopped 30 minutes before it smashed into shore.
The scary ride is evidence of a dangerous new trend. Smugglers fill a boat with hundreds of migrants desperate to begin a new life. Many have been displaced by war in their native countries. The smugglers point the vessels toward Europe and place them on autopilot.
Last week Italian authorities intercepted two such ships at sea.
Some of the people on board were children and pregnant women. Most of them were Syrian refugees. Refugees sometimes spend thousands of dollars on a boat ticket. Little do they know that the people taking their money don’t care whether they ever make it to their destination.
During the rescue, a helicopter dropped Italian Coast Guard members onto the speeding ship. They were able to stop the boat just in time.
