On October 3, 2013, over 360 migrants drowned in the Mediterranean Sea after their boat capsized near the island of Lampedusa. The geographical proximity of Lampedusa to the north coast of Africa has caused it to become one of Europe's gateways for migrants, who each week arrive in Italy by sea in droves.The majority of the migrants are fleeing war in Syria and Eritrea's repressive regime in search of a better life. But unscrupulous traffickers and unsafe vessels often lead to many not surviving the journey. And under current European immigration laws, those who succeed in reaching Italian shores often end up stuck there.In the first half of 2014, over 63,000 migrants arrived at Italy's shores. Of those attempting to make the deadly journey to Europe, over 3,000 migrants have drowned trying to cross the Mediterranean, according to the International Organization for Migration.VICE News headed to Lampedusa one year after the disaster and visited the centers that house large numbers of migrants in overcrowded and makeshift living conditions.[show_more]Watch: Fortress Italia (Part 1)Read: Thousands of Eritreans Face Torture and Death as They Flee Despotic RuleWatch dispatches from Immigrant AmericaWatch: "Berlin's Refugee Crisis"Subscribe to VICE News on YouTubeFollow VICE News on TwitterLike VICE News on Facebook
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