The Optician of Lampedusa

More than 360 people died in the disaster off the coast of Lampedusa, Italy on October 3, 2013. Carmine Mena, the only optician on the island, and his seven friends managed to save 47 people (his boat was designed to hold ten people). Hundreds died. This is a poignant and unforgettable account that brings home the reality of an ongoing refugee crisis that has resulted in one of the most massive migrations in human history.

Print this