The Italian coast guard and a migrant rescue agency reported on Monday that ten migrants had perished and dozens more were missing following two shipwrecks off the coast of Italy. Rescuers assisting migrants on a wooden boat in Lampedusa discovered ten bodies beneath the deck, according to a post on X by the German assistance organization ResQship.
The Nadir’s crew, working for ResQship, stated that they were “currently caring for 51 people on board.” “A total of 61 people were on the wooden boat, which was full of water. Our crew was able to evacuate 51 people, two of whom were unconscious – they had to be cut free with an axe,” the German nonprofit said.
Meanwhile, the Italian coast guard reported searching for survivors off the coast of Calabria after another shipwreck. Media reports indicated that as many as sixty migrants were reported missing. The coast guard stated that it has been searching for “possible missing persons, following the shipwreck of a sailing boat with migrants on board, presumably departing from Turkey” since the previous night.
The rescue operation began after “a’mayday’ from a French pleasure boat sailing off the Italian coast,” according to the coast guard. The French ship informed the authorities of “the presence of the half-sunken boat” before boarding the twelve migrants who were still alive. They were then transferred to an Italian coastguard boat and taken to the southern Italian town of Roccella Ionica. Following disembarkation, one of the twelve survivors passed away, according to the coast guard.
Following the shipwreck, the ANSA news agency reported that approximately 50 migrants were missing; however, Radio Radicale reported that 64 migrants had perished at sea, with the majority coming from Afghanistan and Iran. “The 10 dead are in the flooded lower deck of the boat,” it added.
