Over 26 migrants die in two shipwrecks off Italy

(MENAFN) Two migrant boats capsized off Italy’s Lampedusa Island on Wednesday, leaving at least 26 people dead and around 10 still unaccounted for, according to the Italian coastguard and UN officials. Around 60 others were rescued from the central Mediterranean, a sea route often described by the UN as the world’s deadliest for migrants.

The boats had set out from Tripoli, Libya, earlier in the day. When one vessel began taking on water, its passengers attempted to board the second boat, which then overturned as well. Survivors included 56 men and four women, while victims tragically included a newborn, three children, and several adults.

The UN migration agency (IOM) estimated that roughly 95 people were on board the two vessels, leaving about 35 feared dead or missing.

Italian authorities deployed helicopters, ships, and EU border agency Frontex assets to assist in the search. Lampedusa, located 145 kilometers from Tunisia, is often the first destination for migrants attempting the perilous journey across the Mediterranean in overcrowded or unseaworthy boats.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni extended condolences to the victims’ families and pledged to intensify action against human traffickers. Her government, in power since October 2022, has sought to reduce migrant crossings by securing agreements with North African nations to curb departures.

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