At least six migrants have died, and 40 remain missing after a shipwreck off the Italian island of Lampedusa, a spokesperson for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) confirmed on Wednesday.
The Italian Coast Guard responded to distress signals from a rubber dinghy on Tuesday, rescuing 10 survivors and recovering six bodies. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, though worsening weather conditions are making efforts increasingly difficult. The coast guard is receiving support from aircraft deployed by the army, police, and the European Union’s border agency, Frontex.
Survivors reported that the vessel, carrying 56 migrants from Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Guinea, and Mali, encountered rough waters shortly after departing from Sfax, Tunisia. Many fell into the sea as the storm intensified. The rescued individuals are receiving assistance from the UNHCR, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), and psychological support from the Italian Red Cross.
Lampedusa, located between Tunisia, Malta, and Sicily, is a key entry point for migrants attempting the perilous journey to Europe. Despite a decline in overall arrivals, the Mediterranean remains one of the deadliest migration routes, with more than 2,200 lives lost in 2024 alone.
According to Italy’s interior ministry, around 9,000 migrants have reached Italian shores so far this year, following 66,600 arrivals in 2024—less than half of the previous year’s total.
Source: Swifteradio.com
