A minimum of 27 migrants have died after two boats capsized as they tried to cross the Mediterranean from Libya to Italy.
Round 60 survivors had been rescued from the seas off the island of Lampedusa, whereas the seek for others continues.
Greater than 700 individuals have died making an attempt to cross the central Mediterranean this yr, in response to the UN’s refugee company (UNHCR).
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni supplied her “deepest condolences” to the victims. A UNHCR spokesperson mentioned there was “deep anguish” felt over the incident.
Greater than 90 individuals had been aboard the 2 boats earlier than they capsized, Flavio Di Giacomo, spokesperson for the UN’s Worldwide Organisation for Migration (IOM) mentioned.
A Somalian lady onboard one of many vessels gave a harrowing account to the Rome-based every day newspaper La Repubblica of shedding her one-year-old daughter and husband.
“All hell broke free,” she mentioned. “I by no means noticed them once more, my little lady slipped away, I misplaced them each.”
What brought on the 2 vessels to capsize has but to be confirmed.
Nonetheless, survivors urged to La Repubblica that when the primary boat capsized, its occupants had been pressured to climb into the second vessel, which then capsized as nicely.
“We had set out on two boats, however one capsized, so all of us climbed aboard certainly one of them. However then the opposite one additionally began taking over water,” one informed the paper.
Italian PM Meloni mentioned in a press release: “When a tragedy like at this time’s happens, with the deaths of dozens of individuals within the waters of the Mediterranean, a robust sense of dismay and compassion arises in all of us.
“And we discover ourselves considering the inhumane cynicism with which human traffickers organise these sinister journeys.”
The island of Lampedusa is house to a migrant reception centre that’s usually overcrowded with difficult dwelling situations. It welcomes tens of 1000’s of migrants who’ve survived the usually harmful route throughout the Mediterranean to Europe yearly.
Those that make the journey usually journey in poorly maintained and overcrowded vessels.
A minimum of 25,000 individuals have gone lacking or been killed whereas making an attempt to cross the central Mediterranean since 2014, in response to the IOM.
