Knowing the brutal risk, thousands of migrants from war-torn parts of Africa and the Middle East continue to take the dangerous journey — on overcrowded fishing boats and rubber rafts — to Europe. Due to its proximity to Africa, the Italian Coast Guard receives many of the desperate satellite calls from migrants abandoned by smugglers at sea. The Italians understand that if they don’t take action, the migrants will likely die.
Italian Coast Guard Captain Leopoldo Manna says, “It’s difficult to explain that we sometimes have 25 boats asking for rescue. We don’t exactly know where they are.” Manna says it’s impossible to save them all. CBS correspondent Clarissa Ward spoke with a Syrian migrant family in Turkey before they boarded a boat–and with Captain Manna in Rome. Her report will air on 60 Minutes, April 26 at 7pm on CBS.