At Least 26 Dead, Dozens Missing in Twin Migrant Shipwrecks off Italy’s Lampedusa
ROME: At least 26 migrants have died, and around 10 remain missing after two boats sank off the coast of Lampedusa, Italy, in one of the deadliest migrant tragedies this year, Italian authorities and the UN confirmed Wednesday.
The Italian coast guard said about 60 people were rescued following the disaster in the central Mediterranean, a route the UN describes as the world’s most dangerous sea crossing for migrants. The two vessels had departed Tripoli, Libya, earlier in the day.
One boat reportedly began taking on water, forcing passengers to climb aboard the second vessel, which later capsized. “At least 26 victims have been confirmed, but the toll remains provisional,” the coast guard said.
Italy’s Red Cross, which runs the Lampedusa migrant reception center, said survivors included 56 men and four women. Among the dead were a newborn, three children, and several adults, according to local reports.
The UN’s International Organization for Migration estimated that roughly 35 people are dead or missing, with around 95 believed to have been on board the two boats.
A helicopter from Italy’s financial police spotted one of the capsized boats and several bodies about 14 nautical miles off Lampedusa. Five vessels, including one from the EU’s Frontex agency, were deployed in the search alongside aircraft and helicopters.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her condolences, calling the incident “a tragedy that fills us with dismay and compassion,” while condemning human traffickers for orchestrating the perilous journeys. She reiterated her government’s focus on preventing irregular departures and strengthening migration management in cooperation with North African countries.
The UN refugee agency said 675 people have died on the central Mediterranean route so far this year. As of Wednesday, 38,263 migrants have arrived on Italy’s shores, similar to last year’s tally but far fewer than the nearly 100,000 who had arrived by mid-August 2023.