In the last week, the world was shaken by two separate tragedies unfolding in different parts of the globe, with one common denominator: being lost at sea. Nothing else about these two incidents is remotely similar – whether the number of lives involved or the paradoxical circumstances which ultimately led the passengers on their expeditions. Let me explain. On Thursday 15th June 2023, news broke that a fishing vessel crammed with up to 750 desperate individuals seeking refuge, capsized and sunk in the Mediterranean. The second incident occurred just three days later, when a tourist submarine carrying a mere five individuals on an ill-conceived expedition to the ruins of the Titanic, went missing. Ironic, isn’t it? That just two days ago the world honoured World Refugee Day, a day meant to draw attention to the plight of those seeking safety and shelter, yet it took less than 24 hours for the world’s attention to be shifted to a bunch of billionaires lost at sea.
Survivors of a shipwreck stand at a warehouse at the port in Kalamata town, on June 15, 2023, after a boat carrying dozens of migrants sank in international waters in the Ionian Sea. Greece has declared three days of mourning, the interim prime minister’s office said on June 14, 2023, over a migrant boat sinking in the Ionian Sea feared to have claimed hundreds of lives. The Greek coastguard has so far recovered 79 bodies and rescued over 100, but survivors are claiming that up to 750 people were on board. (Photo by Angelos Tzortzinis / AFP) (Photo by ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Let me paint the picture for you. The world witnessed two catastrophes in that last week. It is not my job to compare the tragedies faced in both, but it is hard not to be angry at the difference in press coverage and attention that both have received. According to several reports, at least 82 people have already drowned while aboard the vessel which was on route to Italy from Libya, carrying several refugees from Pakistan, Syria, Egypt and Palestine. These people were fleeing their war-torn countries in search for better lives. Meanwhile, five individuals, all men, with a combined net worth exceeding a staggering 2.5 billion US dollars – yes, I calculated it – willingly paid a quarter of a million dollars each to embark on a frivolous exploration of the Titanic’s wreckage. Today, these men are missing, their fate uncertain.
The response to these two tragedies could not be more different. While the United States and Canadian Coast Guards mobilise extensive search and rescue operations for the missing OceanGate Expedition, potentially costing millions of dollars, the refugees who drowned on their perilous journey were left to their own devices. The Greek and EU border force, Frontex, have even faced accusations of illegal pushbacks against refugees, callous acts that have resulted in countless lives lost. And yet, the world’s attention remains fixated on the fate of those with unimaginable wealth, as if their lives hold greater significance.
KALAMATA, GREECE – JUNE 15: Rescued migrants wait outside a depot, following a shipwreck off shore in Kalamata, Greece on June 15, 2023 (Photo by Costas Baltas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
It’s infuriating to witness the disregard for human life exhibited by the media and the public alike. How can we, as a global society, prioritise the disappearance of a handful of billionaires over the suffering and loss of countless refugees? Are their lives inherently worth more because their bank accounts are filled with excess? This misplaced attention is not only a symptom of a deeply flawed system but also an indictment of our collective values, and a picture-perfect example of the revolting symptoms of imperialism and capitalism. It tells you everything about the world we live in, a world where if you hail below a certain economic threshold, you cease to be seen as human.
KALAMATA, GREECE – JUNE 15: (—-EDITORIAL USE ONLY MANDATORY CREDIT – ‘GREEK COAST GUARD / HANDOUT’ – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS—-) A photo shows the boat carrying migrants before it sank, in Kalamata, Greece on June 15, 2023. Rescued immigrants of a shipwreck after a boat carrying dozens of migrants sank in international waters of Ionian Sea, sit inside a warehouse. Greece has declared three days of mourning, the interim prime minister’s office said on June 14, over a migrant boat sinking in the Ionian Sea feared to have claimed hundreds of lives. The Greek coastguard has so far recovered 79 bodies and rescued over 100, but survivors are claiming that up to 750 people were on board. The death toll from the sinking of a fishing boat crammed with migrants off the coast of southwestern Greece rose to 79, local media reported on Wednesday. (Photo by Greek Coast Guard/Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The disparity in coverage and response is not a mere coincidence; it reflects the disturbing reality of a world where money talks louder than morality. The media, driven by profit and sensationalism, eagerly amplifies the narratives of the privileged few while marginalising the struggles of the oppressed. Our societal priorities have become distorted, favouring the trivial pursuits of the wealthy over the desperate plight of those fleeing persecution, war and unimaginable hardships.
I don’t even necessarily only blame the media. I blame viewers, readers and every person of privilege who is sitting in the comfort of their homes, sharing TikToks of #OceanGate whilst hundreds of people, all of whom have already undoubtedly faced anguish and famine, are losing their lives. Why? Because no one seems to care enough.
A survivor stands as other survivors of a shipwreck sit inside a warehouse at the port in Kalamata town, on June 15, 2023, after a boat carrying migrants sank in international waters in the Ionian Sea. Greece has declared three days of mourning, the interim prime minister’s office said on June 14, 2023, over a migrant boat sinking in the Ionian Sea feared to have claimed hundreds of lives. The Greek coastguard has so far recovered 79 bodies and rescued over 100, but survivors are claiming that up to 750 people were on board. (Photo by Angelos TZORTZINIS / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
It’s time to not only hold the media accountable for perpetuating this glaring double standard, but to hold ourselves accountable. We must demand that the lives of refugees be acknowledged and valued, that their stories be heard, and that their suffering be addressed with the urgency it deserves. Until we collectively recognise and rectify the distorted lens through which we view human life, we will continue to perpetuate a world where the worth of a person is determined by their bank balance rather than their intrinsic value as a human being.
In a just and compassionate society, the loss of any life should be mourned and rectified. But can you think of a single place on this earth where that is the case? A place where racism, imperialism, capitalism and marginalisation do not exist? For now, I’ll dream of the day that billionaires seek to send search and rescue missions to find that place.