Recently, “Bags of migrants who died at sea while crossing Europe illegally have been collected and kept inside the Italian Museum on the Italian island of Lampedusa” titled image is spreading in social media.
Check out the archived version of some of the viral Facebook posts here, here, here , here , here, and here.
Fact Check
From the investigation by the Rumor Scanner team, it has been discovered that these were not pictures of bags used by migrants who died at sea on their way to Europe rather these are exhibits made with bags left by immigrants crossing the Arizona desert.
By using reverse image search, it has been found that the photo was published on the “State of Exception” website under the University of Michigan’s website for literature, science, and art.
Actually, Jason De León, an anthropologist at the University of Michigan, collected objects and other forms of data left behind in the Arizona desert by undocumented migrants on their journey into the U.S. as part of his research. Later, in collaboration with Jason De León, photographer Richard Barnes and artist/curator Amanda Krugliak created an exhibition, includes an installation of hundreds of backpacks left behind by migrants.
In addition, pictures of various items used by migrants can be found on the official website of Richard Barnes.
It is to be mentioned that in 2017, New York Times and the Spanish news agency EFE reported on the exhibition.
Moreover, no information was found on the Internet about bags of dead migrants were stored in a museum in Italy that tried to enter Europe illegally by sea.
More Article: Death news of former finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith is FAKE
So, a picture of an exhibition made up of hundreds of bags left by migrants crossing the Arizona desert is currently being circulated on social media claiming that these are bags of dead migrants who tried to enter Europe illegally by sea, which is completely false.
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- Claim Review: Bags of migrants who died at sea while crossing Europe illegally have been collected and kept inside the Italian Museum on the Italian island of Lampedusa
- Claimed By: Facebook Posts
- Fact Check: False
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Sources
- State of Exception Website: https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/state-of-exception/
- RICHARD BARNES Website/Image gallery: http://www.richardbarnes.net/state-of-exception-1
- Efe Article: https://www.efe.com/efe/english/entertainment/wall-of-backpacks-set-up-as-immigrant-exhibit-in-opposition-to-trump/50000264-3215528
- NYTimes: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/03/arts/design/state-of-exception-estado-de-excepcion-parsons-mexican-immigration.html
- YouTube video: https://youtu.be/i-4QnJ1d3J8
