UN agency reports around 20 migrants missing following boat sinks off Italy
(MENAFN) Around 20 migrants are feared missing after their boat capsized in the Mediterranean Sea this week, according to reports from the U.N. refugee agency and the Italian coast guard. The incident occurred when a boat carrying migrants sank approximately 10 miles (16 kilometers) southeast of the southern Italian island of Lampedusa. Local Italian rescuers were able to recover seven survivors, all of whom were Syrians, and transport them to Lampedusa for medical attention.
The survivors, who are reported to be in critical condition, shared that they had departed from Libya on September 1. According to the Italian coast guard, the boat had originally carried 28 individuals, including three minors. Adverse weather conditions during the voyage caused 21 people to fall into the sea. The rescue teams are currently engaged in a search operation using naval units and a coast guard aircraft to locate the missing migrants.
Chiara Cardoletti, the UNHCR representative to Italy, highlighted the dire situation of the survivors, noting that many have lost family members in the incident. The central Mediterranean remains one of the most perilous migration routes globally, with the U.N. migration agency (IOM) reporting that more than 2,500 migrants either died or went missing attempting the crossing last year. This year, the death toll has already reached 1,047.
The tragedy underscores the ongoing risks faced by migrants attempting the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean, a route notorious for its high fatality rate. Efforts continue to address the crisis and improve safety measures to prevent such devastating losses in the future.
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