The Italian Coast Guard announced that six migrants had died and around 40 others were missing after a rubber boat sank off the coast of the Italian island of Lampedusa. Ten survivors were rescued, and the bodies of the deceased were recovered. According to the survivors, the boat was carrying 56 people, all of whom fell into the water when it capsized. The journey had begun from the Tunisian city of Sfax. According to the UNHCR, the migrants were from Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Guinea, and Gambia.
According to a statement from the Italian Coast Guard, the search for additional survivors is ongoing but has been hampered by poor weather conditions. Police and military aircraft are involved in the operation, along with a team from the European Union’s border agency, Frontex. The rescued migrants were transported to Lampedusa, where they are receiving aid from the International Rescue Committee and the UNHCR. The Red Cross is also providing psychological support to the survivors.
According to United Nations estimates, more than 42,000 people have died or gone missing on the migration route from Africa to Europe across the Mediterranean Sea between 2014 and last year. The UN warns that the actual number is likely much higher, as many deaths go unrecorded. Empty boats are often found adrift, and the remains of victims frequently wash up on shore, highlighting the scale of the humanitarian tragedy.
The United Nations estimates that over 2,200 people died or went missing in the Mediterranean last year, many of whom drowned while attempting to reach the Italian islands as a gateway to the European Union. In 2022, Italy received 6,600 migrants, a decrease from the 9,000 migrants it received in 2023. However, recent figures show that nearly 9,000 migrants have arrived in Italy since the beginning of this year, representing an increase of 4% compared to the same period last year.
