In a tragic incident that highlights the ongoing migrant crisis, a shipwreck in the central Mediterranean has resulted in the loss of 41 lives. According to a report by Reuters, Italian authorities confirmed the grim toll on Wednesday. The ill-fated boat, reportedly carrying 45 people, encountered disaster last week.
The survivors of the shipwreck of Central Mediterranean, numbering 4 individuals, were brought to the island of Lampedusa for medical assistance. An investigation into the incident has been initiated by the local public prosecutor’s office under Salvatore Vella.
Italian news agency Ansa, citing the survivors, revealed that the 7-meter-long boat set sail from Sfax in Tunisia on a Thursday morning. Tragically, within hours, the boat capsized and sank after being hit by a powerful wave. The Sea-Watch charity rescue group reported that their surveillance plane spotted the survivors being rescued by a cargo ship. Following the rescue, they were transferred to an Italian coast guard vessel and eventually disembarked in Lampedusa.
In a statement, Sea-Watch detailed the harrowing experience of the survivors, mentioning that they were among the few aboard the sunken boat who had life jackets. After the shipwreck, they remained in the water until they found another empty boat.
The survivors, arriving in Lampedusa exhausted and traumatized, are set to be questioned by the police. The tragedy underscores the persisting challenges of the migrant crisis. Italy, a prominent entry point into Europe for numerous asylum seekers and migrants, has witnessed a surge in the number of migrant boats this year. According to Italy’s interior ministry data, approximately 93,750 migrants have arrived by sea in Italy so far, a stark increase compared to about 44,950 arrivals during the same period in 2022.
Although the Italian coast guard had previously reported rescuing 57 individuals and recovering two bodies from the waters, media reports suggest that at least one of the sunken boats had also set off from Sfax on the same day.
As the investigation continues and the survivors’ accounts shed light on the tragedy, the incident serves as a grim reminder of the perilous journeys that many migrants undertake in pursuit of safety and a better life.