Pope: migrant deaths 'unacceptable and almost always avoidable'

FILE PHOTO: Pope Francis celebrates a mass for migrants to commemorate the 5th anniversary of his visit in Lampedusa, at the Saint Peter's in Vatican July 6, 2018. Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS

ROME (Reuters) - Migrant deaths in the Mediterranean are "unacceptable and almost always avoidable," Pope Francis said on Friday, renewing a call for policymakers across the region to address the issue in a manner "beneficial to all."

The 85-year-old pontiff, son of Italian immigrants to Argentina, often speaks up for the rights of migrants, and has repeatedly denounced how the Mediterranean has turned into a "vast cemetery."