Boat Overturn Kills Over 25 Migrants Near Italy, Lampedusa
(MENAFN) At least 26 migrants have been confirmed dead, with dozens still unaccounted for, after two boats capsized off the coast of Lampedusa, southern Italy. The tragedy, reported Wednesday by Italian media and the United Nations refugee agency, unfolded approximately 14 nautical miles south of the island.
The first distress call came around 11 a.m. local time when a police helicopter identified the first vessel in trouble. However, by the time rescue teams arrived, the boat had already overturned, according to reports from Italian media.
Survivors later told rescuers that a second boat had also gone down. Out of the roughly 100 people aboard both vessels, 60 have been rescued and safely brought to shore.
So far, 26 bodies have been recovered, with search operations still underway.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) head, Filippo Grandi, confirmed on social media that in addition to the dead, many others are still missing. The UNHCR is assisting in providing shelter for the 60 survivors.
Lampedusa, situated at the southernmost tip of Italy, remains a primary gateway for migrants and refugees, many of whom are fleeing conflict and poverty in Africa and the Middle East, attempting to reach European Union nations via the perilous Mediterranean route.
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