Europe's only private migrant rescue service saw a dramatic rise in donations, which it attributed to the wave of horror in reaction to a widely circulated photo of Aylan Kurdi.
The Malta-based Migrant Offshore Aid Station said yesterday it had seen a 15-fold increase in donations over the past 24 hours, registering more than 200,000 euros from 2,500 individuals since Wednesday morning.
Set up by Chris and Regina Catrambone, a wealthy Italian-American couple based in Malta, MOAS has saved more than 11,000 migrants during its first year of operation in the Mediterranean, including 332 on Wednesday.
MOAS director Martin Xuereb said, "The tragedy now has a face and a name, when up until now we spoke mainly of numbers. That child had a future, a mother, he was a happy human being and all of a sudden it's gone."
Xuereb, a former commander of the Malta armed forces, said the world is clearly standing up to indifference.
"The death of a child not only encapsulates the tragedy but the sheer desperation of someone who felt there was no choice but to take the child on a boat."
Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey,
it’s region and the world.
You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.