Life-jacket graveyard creates startling visual impact of refugee crisis

Aid organizations laid out 2,500life-jacketssymbolizing refugee crossings to Europe in ademonstration outside the British parliament on Monday timed tocoincide with a United Nations summit on the worldwide migrantcrisis.

The orangelife-jacketsspread out on the lawn of ParliamentSquare were worn by adults and children travelling from Turkeyto Greece, part of a wave of migrants attempting theMediterranean crossing to get to mainland Europe.

Take more refugees

Rehab Sidiqi, a trustee of Woman for Refugee Women and originally from Afghanistan, poses for a photograph among 2,500 life-jackets laid out on the lawn of Britain's Parliament Sept. 19.Aid organizations have often called on Britain to take morerefugees.

A message forworld leaders

In New York, leaders of 193 states were gathering for theUnited Nations General Assembly, which was opening with itsfirst summit specifically addressing global movements ofrefugees and migrants."We hope this will send a message to the world leaders tocall for durable solutions," saidSanjSrikanthan, head ofpolicy and practice at International Rescue Committee.

Remembering those lost

TheUnited Nationsestimates 6,940 people drowned or went missingwhile trying to reach Europe between January 2015 andAugust2016.

Jackets inall sizes

A young boy sits amongthe stark display oflife-jackets used by adults and childrento cross the sea to Europe.

Britain defends its record

BritishPrime Minister Theresa May was preparing to defendher country's record at the summit, affirming the right of all countries tocontrol their borders, according to a government statement. She is expected to call for "reducing unmanaged population movement" along withmeasures to help refugees claim asylum in the first safe countries they reach.

Human rights groups unite

The United Nations refugee bodyUNHCR, International RescueCommittee, Migrant Voice, World Visionand Doctors without Borderscollaborated for the display, which they called a"life-jacketgraveyard" to illustrate the risks migrants take.

Efforts falling short

The UN summit isovershadowed by the ongoing war in Syria and faltering U.S.-Russian efforts to halt the fighting. World leaders are set to adopt a declarationthat human rights groups have already dismissed as falling short of the needed international response.

Tourists hear stories

A group of tourists walk among the life-jackets at Parliament Square. A number of refugees were in attendance to share their stories with visitors.