The flimsy dinghies used by
people smugglers to transport migrants and refugees to Italy and
Greece can be purchased on-line for just a few hundred euros
according to an investigation published by Italian weekly Oggi
Tuesday.
To buy a dinghy "it is sufficient to log onto a Chinese
e-commerce platform such as Alibaba.com," the report said.
"A 10-m boat can cost less than 1,000 euros and is
delivered in 10 days".
A salesman told the reporter the dinghies could be sent
to Tunisia and that the minimum order was for five.
"The model measuring 10m costs 1,260 dollars and if you
opt for a thinner PVC you can save money," he is quoted as
saying.
The people smugglers now prefer such vessels because they
can be easily concealed pending use and are easy and cheap to
procure, the magazine said.
"The material is of very poor quality, the structure
extremely weak and the gluing approximate," said Italian dinghy
manufacturer Umberto Capelli.
"This is why they sink so often," he added.
"The manufacturers know what they are for, because for all
other purposes they are useless," Capelli said.
On Tuesday the International Organisation for Migration
said 2,812 migrants and refugees were known to have drowned
since the start of this year while attempting the sea crossing
from north Africa or Turkey in search of safety or a better life
in Europe.
Passengers typically pay hundreds of dollars per head for
the passage.
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