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Kuwait Times
3 days ago
- General
- Kuwait Times
Searchers seek missing after Italy migrant shipwreck
LAMPEDUSA: Rescue vessels resumed a desperate search Thursday for migrants missing at sea after two crowded boats sank off the Italian island of Lampedusa, with 27 dead already confirmed. Sixty survivors were brought to shore on Wednesday, two of them taken by helicopter to Sicily for treatment and the others held in the reception center on the island, according to the Red Cross. 'Of the 58, 21 are minors. They spent a quiet night and are generally in good health,' said Imad Dalil, the Red Cross official who runs the reception center. The majority are Somali, with a few Egyptians, he added. Authorities have started efforts to identify the bodies found so far. Around 95 people were on the boats according to the UN, with the number of confirmed dead rising to 27 overnight, suggesting around eight people were missing. 'At least 27 people have drowned in a tragic shipwreck near Lampedusa,' said Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, in a social media statement. 'Over 700 refugees and migrants have now died in 2025 in the Central Mediterranean. 'All responses—rescue at sea, safe pathways, helping transit countries and addressing root causes—must be strengthened,' he said. 'Waves took them both' Lampedusa, just 90 miles (145 kilometers) off the coast of Tunisia, is often the first port of call for people trying to reach Europe in leaky or overcrowded boats. An Italian helicopter spotted a capsized boat and several bodies in the water on Wednesday, about 14 nautical miles off Lampedusa, the coastguard said. The boats had left Tripoli, Libya, earlier in the day, it said. According to survivors, one of the boats started taking on water, causing people to climb onto the other boat, which then capsized. A newborn baby was among the dead, according to Italian news reports. One Somali woman lost her son and husband, according to an account reported by the Corriere della Sera. 'I had my son in my arms and my husband beside me. I don't know how, but we found ourselves in the water. The waves took them both away from me,' she said. Five vessels searched for survivors, including one from the EU's Frontex border agency, alongside a helicopter and two aircraft. Despite the tragedy, the boats kept coming, with four others intercepted off Lampedusa overnight, according to the Red Cross. A total of 240 people are currently being held in the reception center waiting for processing, Dalil said. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offered 'deepest condolences' to the victims and vowed to step up efforts to tackle migrant traffickers. Her hard-right government took office in 2022 vowing to cut the number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean to Europe. More than 38,500 people have arrived on Italian shores so far this year, according to interior ministry figures. This is slightly up on last year, but significantly less than the 100,000 reported by the same time in 2023. — AFP
Int'l Business Times
3 days ago
- Int'l Business Times
Searchers Seek Missing After Deadly Italy Migrant Shipwreck
Italian authorities searched Thursday for migrants missing at sea after two crowded boats sank off the island of Lampedusa, killing at least 27 people. As many as a dozen or more people are still unaccounted for following Wednesday's disaster, according to testimony from among the 60 survivors, mostly from Somalia. Three minors, including a newborn baby, and seven women and 13 men were among the dead, according to the prosecutor's office in Agrigento, on Sicily. Post-mortem examinations confirmed that those 23 died of drowning, according to the ANSA news agency. UN officials said 27 people were confirmed dead so far. The two boats had left Tripoli, Libya, earlier on Wednesday, Italy's coastguard said. It is believed one of the boats started taking on water, causing people to climb onto the other boat, which then capsized. At Lampedusa's cemetery on Thursday evening, where many of the bodies are being kept, some women came and left flowers, and prayed for the dead. "It seemed fitting, at least to stop by and say a prayer for these people who were seeking a better life," said Donata, a holidaymaker visiting the island who declined to give her family name. "They did nothing, and they died," she told AFP. An Italian helicopter had spotted a capsized boat and several bodies in the water on Wednesday about 14 nautical miles off Lampedusa. One Somali woman lost her son and husband, according to an account reported by the Corriere della Sera newspaper. "I had my son in my arms and my husband beside me. I don't know how, but we found ourselves in the water. The waves took them both away from me," she said. Lampedusa, just 90 miles (145 kilometres) off the coast of Tunisia, is often the first point of arrival for people trying to reach Europe in leaky or overcrowded boats. But it is also a tourist hotspot, famed for its white sand beaches. On Thursday, it was filled with holidaymakers visiting for Friday's Ferragosto public holiday, with pleasure boats using the same port as the vessels searching for the missing. Two of the survivors were taken by helicopter to Sicily for treatment, while the other 58 were being cared for in the reception centre on the island, according to the Red Cross. Twenty-one of them are minors and "generally in good health", said Imad Dalil, the Red Cross official who runs the reception centre. He said the majority of the survivors are Somali, with a few Egyptians. Around 95 people were on the boats, UN officials reported initially, but ANSA said it appeared there may have been more, perhaps 100 to 110 people. Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, had earlier confirmed the toll of 27 dead. "Over 700 refugees and migrants have now died in 2025 in the Central Mediterranean", which the UN judges to be the world's deadliest maritime migrant crossing, he wrote on social media. "All responses -- rescue at sea, safe pathways, helping transit countries and addressing root causes -- must be strengthened," he said. Despite the tragedy laying bare the risks, the migrant boats kept coming. Four others were intercepted off Lampedusa overnight, according to the Red Cross, while more migrants arrived during Thursday. More than 260 people were being held in the reception centre waiting for processing as of Thursday evening, ANSA said. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offered her "deepest condolences" to the victims and vowed to step up efforts to tackle migrant traffickers. Her hard-right government took office in 2022 vowing to cut the number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean to Europe. More than 38,500 people have arrived on Italian shores so far this year, according to interior ministry figures. This is slightly up on last year but well below the 100,000 reported by the same time in 2023.
NZ Herald
3 days ago
- General
- NZ Herald
Waves took them both: Mother's account in Lampedusa boat tragedy
It is believed one of the boats started taking on water, causing people to climb on to the other boat, which then capsized. At Lampedusa's cemetery on Thursday evening, where many of the bodies are being kept, some women came and left flowers, and prayed for the dead. 'It seemed fitting, at least to stop by and say a prayer for these people who were seeking a better life,' said Donata, a holidaymaker visiting the island who declined to give her family name. 'They did nothing, and they died,' she told AFP. 'Waves took them both' An Italian helicopter had spotted a capsized boat and several bodies in the water on Wednesday about 14 nautical miles off Lampedusa. One Somali woman lost her son and husband, according to an account reported by the Corriere della Sera newspaper. 'I had my son in my arms and my husband beside me. I don't know how, but we found ourselves in the water. The waves took them both away from me,' she said. Lampedusa, 145km off the coast of Tunisia, is often the first point of arrival for people trying to reach Europe in leaky or overcrowded boats. But it is also a tourist hotspot, famed for its white sand beaches. On Thursday, it was filled with holidaymakers visiting for Friday's Ferragosto public holiday, with pleasure boats using the same port as the vessels searching for the missing. Deadly crossing Two of the survivors were taken by helicopter to Sicily for treatment, while the other 58 were being cared for in the reception centre on the island, according to the Red Cross. Twenty-one of them are minors and 'generally in good health', said Imad Dalil, the Red Cross official who runs the reception centre. He said the majority of the survivors are Somali, with a few Egyptians. Bags containing migrants' belongings at the harbour of Lampedusa. Photo / Stefano Rellandini, AFP Around 95 people were on the boats, UN officials reported initially, but ANSA said it appeared there may have been more, perhaps 100 to 110 people. Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, had earlier confirmed the toll of 27 dead. 'Over 700 refugees and migrants have now died in 2025 in the Central Mediterranean', which the UN judges to be the world's deadliest maritime migrant crossing, he wrote on social media. 'All responses – rescue at sea, safe pathways, helping transit countries and addressing root causes – must be strengthened,' he said. Despite the tragedy laying bare the risks, the migrant boats kept coming. Four others were intercepted off Lampedusa overnight, according to the Red Cross, while more migrants arrived during Thursday. More than 260 people were being held in the reception centre waiting for processing as of Thursday evening, ANSA said. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offered her 'deepest condolences' to the victims and vowed to step up efforts to tackle migrant traffickers. Her hard-right Government took office in 2022 vowing to cut the number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean to Europe. More than 38,500 people have arrived on Italian shores so far this year, according to interior ministry figures. This is slightly up on last year but well below the 100,000 reported by the same time in 2023. - Agence France-Presse
eNCA
3 days ago
- General
- eNCA
Searchers seek missing after deadly Italy migrant shipwreck
Rescue vessels resumed a desperate search Thursday for migrants missing at sea after two crowded boats sank off the Italian island of Lampedusa, with 27 dead already confirmed. Sixty survivors were brought to shore on Wednesday, two of them taken by helicopter to Sicily for treatment and the others held in the reception centre on the island, according to the Red Cross. "Of the 58, 21 are minors. They spent a quiet night and are generally in good health," said Imad Dalil, the Red Cross official who runs the reception centre. The majority are Somali, with a few Egyptians, he added. Authorites have started efforts to identify the bodies found so far. Around 95 people were on the boats according to the UN, with the number of confirmed dead rising to 27 overnight, suggesting around eight people were missing. "At least 27 people have drowned in a tragic shipwreck near Lampedusa," said Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, in a social media statement. "Over 700 refugees and migrants have now died in 2025 in the Central Mediterranean. "All responses -- rescue at sea, safe pathways, helping transit countries and addressing root causes -- must be strengthened," he said. - 'Waves took them both' - Lampedusa, just 145 kilometres off the coast of Tunisia, is often the first port of call for people trying to reach Europe in leaky or overcrowded boats. An Italian helicopter spotted a capsized boat and several bodies in the water on Wednesday, about 14 nautical miles off Lampedusa, the coastguard said. The boats had left Tripoli, Libya, earlier in the day, it said. According to survivors, one of the boats started taking on water, causing people to climb onto the other boat, which then capsized. A newborn baby was among the dead, according to Italian news reports. One Somali woman lost her son and husband, according to an account reported by the Corriere della Sera. "I had my son in my arms and my husband beside me. I don't know how, but we found ourselves in the water. The waves took them both away from me," she said. Five vessels searched for survivors, including one from the EU's Frontex border agency, alongside a helicopter and two aircraft. Despite the tragedy, the boats kept coming, with four others intercepted off Lampedusa overnight, according to the Red Cross. A total of 240 people are currently being held in the reception centre waiting for processing, Dalil said. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offered "deepest condolences" to the victims and vowed to step up efforts to tackle migrant traffickers. Her hard-right government took office in 2022 vowing to cut the number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean to Europe. More than 38,500 people have arrived on Italian shores so far this year, according to interior ministry figures. This is slightly up on last year, but significantly less than the 100,000 reported by the same time in 2023. By Sonia Logre With Alice Ritchie In Rome
The Sun
3 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Rescue efforts continue after deadly migrant shipwreck off Lampedusa
LAMPEDUSA: Rescue teams resumed their search on Thursday for missing migrants after two overcrowded boats sank near the Italian island. At least 27 people have been confirmed dead, while 60 survivors were brought ashore on Wednesday. Two survivors required urgent medical evacuation to Sicily, while the rest were housed at a Red Cross reception centre. 'Of the 58, 21 are minors. They spent a quiet night and are generally in good health,' said Imad Dalil, the Red Cross official managing the facility. Most survivors are Somali nationals, with a small number of Egyptians among them. Authorities have begun the grim task of identifying the recovered bodies. The UN estimates around 95 people were aboard the two vessels, meaning roughly eight remain unaccounted for. 'At least 27 people have drowned in a tragic shipwreck near Lampedusa,' stated UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. He noted that over 700 migrants and refugees have perished in the Central Mediterranean so far in 2025. 'All responses must be strengthened,' Grandi urged, calling for improved rescue operations and safer migration pathways. Lampedusa lies just 145 kilometres from Tunisia, making it a frequent landing point for Europe-bound migrants. Italy's coastguard reported spotting a capsized boat and multiple bodies floating 14 nautical miles offshore. The ill-fated vessels had departed from Tripoli earlier that day, according to officials. Survivors recounted how one boat began taking on water, prompting passengers to swarm the second vessel, which then overturned. Italian media reported a newborn baby was among the deceased. A Somali woman shared her heartbreaking story with Corriere della Sera, having lost both her husband and son. 'I had my son in my arms and my husband beside me. The waves took them both away from me,' she said. Five search vessels, including one from Frontex, combed the area alongside aerial support. Despite the tragedy, migrant arrivals continued overnight with four more boats intercepted near Lampedusa. The reception centre currently holds 240 individuals awaiting processing, Dalil confirmed. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her condolences and pledged stronger action against human traffickers. Her government, elected in 2022, had promised to reduce Mediterranean migrant crossings. Official data shows over 38,500 migrant arrivals in Italy this year, slightly higher than 2024 but far below 2023's figures. - AFP
