Asylum Seekers Lost at Sea (05:59)

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A crane loads coffins onto a boat off Lampedusa in 2013. Shipwreck survivors mourn family members. Migrants were mostly Eritreans and Somalis. Aregai shows photos of his deceased cousins and describes the boat flipping.

Risking Life to Seek Asylum (04:14)

Lampedusa fishermen witnessed a shipwreck and saved 18 immigrants from drowning. Mayor Giusi Nicolini clarifies that they are refugees. International Organization for Migration representative William Swing advocates for policy helping, rather than repelling them.

Shipwreck Impact on Locals (03:08)

Aregai thanks a fisherman for saving his life. The fisherman has had anxiety since the tragedy. Nicolini tries to address concerns of survivors that have not yet identified deceased family members.

Punishing Shipwreck Survivors (02:36)

European Commission president Manuel Barroso and Italian PM Enrico confirm that asylum seekers are illegal immigrants. Integration Minister Cecile Kyenge explains that charges may be dropped during the asylum process. Lampedusa residents protest having to assist immigrants without government support.

Syrian Asylum Seekers (04:43)

In Izmir in 2015, Wael and Doha Orfahli prepare to meet a smuggler who will take their family to Germany. Wael describes life in a war zone. He receives a call that they will leave that night.

Failed Immigration Attempt (04:06)

Wael fits his daughter with a life vest. On the way to the meeting point with the smuggler, the police seize the Orfahli family and send them back. They left Syria 20 days ago and are anxious to leave Turkey.

Fleeing the Syrian War (03:42)

The Orfahli family looks at videos from life in Damascus; their building has been damaged by rockets. Wael is willing to risk death to leave Turkey for Greece. Carrying responsibility for his family is stressful.

Crossing the Mediterranean Sea (01:28)

The Orfahli family embarks on a dangerous journey in a rubber boat. It fills with water; Doha asks her family to call the Greek Coast Guard.

Immigration Limbo (02:19)

At a Lampedusa detention center, Aregai explains the smuggling system. He worked as a guard at a military prison and lost the opportunity to raise a family while forced to serve in the Eritrean military for 15 years.

Witness to Tragedy (03:59)

The captain of the shipwrecked boat Bensalem Khaled says he is a fisherman—not a smuggler—and engine trouble caused it to capsize. Aregai testifies that his deceased cousin paid for the trip.

Journey from Eritrea (02:37)

Aregai left Teseney and stayed in Sudan for three years. Then he traveled with a smuggler to Libya, where he was forced onto a boat. He cannot identify Khaled as the boat captain.

Ashore on Lesbos (04:03)

The Orfahli family's rubber boat makes it to Greece. They board a bus; Wael and Doha become separated from their three older children. They ask UNHCR employees for help and are reunited.

Planning a Route to Germany (03:40)

The Orfahli family takes a charter ferry for refugees to mainland Greece. They plan to take buses and trains to Austria. They sing and laugh in an effort to boost morale.

Riace Housing Program (03:18)

Hundreds of refugees are relocated to an Italian mountain town. Local women recall their family members immigrating to America during World War II. Mayor Domenico Lucano welcomes immigrants to the dwindling community.

Tensions with Locals (03:06)

A young refugee brings her sandal to a shoemaker for repair. Asylum seekers become impatient waiting for visas; Lucano has appealed to the Italian government but has no funding or influence. Unemployment is high in his town.

Going Underground (04:18)

Aregai travels to Rome after his court deposition. He visits his aunt at a squatter settlement in an unstable former government building. He tells her about the journey to Lampedusa, including the shipwreck, and being held by the Italian police.

Idomeni, Greece (05:14)

The Orfahli family takes a bus through Greece. Wael negotiates taxis to the Macedonian border, where they wait to cross at a Red Cross station. They walk across with hundreds of other refugees.

Falerna, Italy (04:13)

Asylum seekers live in an occupied resort while waiting for documents. Someone shuts off the water. Mayor Giovanni Costanzo tries to them get a water tank; they express frustration at discrimination from the town. Crowds gather at a Berlusconi rally to protest the influx of asylum seekers.

Entering Serbia (04:28)

Wael picks berries for his family during a break from their train journey through Macedonia. A humanitarian aid station provides food for refugees at the Serbian border. They walk across at night.

Sant'Anna Di Crotone (04:07)

Kyenge visits Europe's largest migrant center; refugees try to call her attention to poor living conditions and unfair treatment. A riot nearly ensues as she leaves the premises.

Leaving Italy (03:40)

Protestors demand an immediate halt to immigration to Europe. Aregai prepares data for a fake Italian I.D.; his cousin Binni thinks he is paying too much. Aregai prepares to go to the airport.

Croatia to Austria (03:05)

At a refugee camp in Tovarnik, the Orfahli family argues over whether to bring extra food or belongings. In Linz, they learn they will be placed in another camp in Munich until applying for asylum.

Arrival in Germany (04:18)

The Orfahli family takes a train from Austria with a crowd of refugees. After a 24 day journey, they reunite with Wael’s brother in Ohrdruf. Five months later, the EU seals its borders, leaving refugees stranded in Turkey.

Safe in Sweden (01:47)

Aregai receives asylum and lives in Stockholm, where he works in a refugee center. He travels to Lampedusa every year to commemorate the 367 refugees who died at sea. Eritrea has one of the most oppressive governments worldwide.

Safe in Germany (02:00)

The Orfahli family receive asylum in Germany and settle near Hanover. Over 11 million Syrians have fled their homes during a seven year conflict. Approximately 18,000 people have died trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.

Credits: It Will Be Chaos (01:53)

Credits: It Will Be Chaos