Pope urges action on migrant crisis to stop ‘shipwreck of civilisation’

Pope Francis attends a ceremony at the Karatepe refugee camp, on the northeastern Aegean island of Lesbos, Greece (Alessandra Tarantino/AP)

Pope Francis returned to the Greek island of Lesbos to offer comfort to migrants at a refugee camp and blast what he said was the indifference and self-interest shown by Europe “that condemns to death those on the fringes”.

“Please, let us stop this shipwreck of civilisation!” Francis said at the Mavrovouni camp, a cluster of white UN containers on the edge of the sea lined by barbed wire fencing and draped with laundry hanging from lines.