Twenty-six-year-old Syrian Ghaith* was making his second attempt to cross the Mediterranean from Libya last September when the dinghy overturned in strong waves. Only three of the 21 passengers – including five children – could swim, the rest clung to empty gas canisters and tyres that had been attached to the boat.

“To be honest, when the boat capsized, two of the children clung to me and I felt myself drowning, so I took a deep breath and let them go. God forgive me. I dived underwater so they would release me and hold on to the canisters instead.

“There was nothing around me, but I could hear the women and children screaming, ‘Help us!’. At first, I was reciting prayers, but a sound behind me terrified me so much that I couldn’t even speak as I swam. I thought it was a shark, but it turne...
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