Have lessons been learnt since the Lampedusa shipwreck?

“As days passed, and bodies continued to be recovered, they became very hard to identify – and it was difficult to cope with it emotionally. Swollen bodies, bodies with fractured faces, decomposed bodies… It was the most excruciating experience, but our help was very crucial for the process. So, we had to do it.”

On October 3rd, 2013 – exactly 10 years ago - a boat crammed with around 500 people caught fire and sank - just off the coast of the Italian Island of Lampedusa. The victims’ support group – the 3rd of October Committee - says 368 died that night.

But to this day, many families don’t know if their loved ones were amongst the passengers on the boat. So how are the victims of the Lampedusa shipwreck being remembered? And has anything changed for people risking the sea crossing from Africa to Europe in the decade since?

For Africa Daily, a survivor remembers his experiences of that night.