Sixty-four people were reported missing at sea after a shipwreck off the Italian southern coast, while 11 were rescued and taken ashore to a Calabrian town. In a separate incident, rescue workers found 10 bodies trapped below deck of a wooden boat off Italy’s Lampedusa island. Survivors from the first shipwreck, which took place 125 miles off Calabria, reported that the boat had caught fire and overturned. The search-and-rescue operation was initiated after a Mayday call by a French boat in the border area between Greece and Italy. Survivors and missing individuals were identified as coming from Iran, Syria, and Iraq.
The Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Center quickly diverted two merchant vessels sailing nearby to assist in the rescue operation, along with assets from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex. Survivors were brought to the Calabrian port of Roccella Jonica, where they received medical attention. Unfortunately, one of the migrants died shortly after being disembarked. The survivors reported that the boat had set off from Turkey eight days prior to the shipwreck. The Italian Coast Guard launched the search-and-rescue mission following the distress call and worked diligently to locate and rescue the survivors.
In the separate shipwreck off Lampedusa island, the crew aboard the Resqship’s boat found 61 people on the wooden boat, which was full of water. The crew managed to evacuate 51 of the individuals, two of whom were unconscious, from the sinking vessel. Tragically, the bodies of 10 individuals were discovered in the flooded lower deck of the boat. The German aid group Resqship took to social media to provide updates on the situation, offering insights into the challenges faced by rescue workers in the treacherous conditions at sea.
The total death toll from the two shipwrecks was reported as 20 individuals, with 64 people still missing at sea. The incidents highlight the dangers faced by migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea in crowded and often unseaworthy vessels in search of a better life. The UN agencies involved in the response efforts expressed their condolences for the lives lost and continued their search for any remaining survivors. The tragic events underscore the need for increased international cooperation and support for maritime rescue operations to prevent further loss of life among migrants attempting perilous sea crossings.
