LAMPEDUSA: Italian authorities reported Wednesday that a vessel carrying at least 27 migrants capsized near the southern Italian island of Lampedusa. Seven individuals were rescued, while 20 remain unaccounted for.
According to Qatar News Agency, Filippo Mannino, the mayor of Lampedusa, stated that the missing individuals include five women and three children. The boat, which departed from Zuwara, Libya, late Monday, encountered difficulties on Tuesday morning, leading to its capsizing. Despite being close to the shore, the migrants were unable to reach safety.
Mannino indicated that Italian authorities have yet to recover any bodies. The incident underscores the perilous nature of the journey many migrants undertake, seeking refuge in Europe. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that approximately 24,500 individuals have been lost or drowned in the Mediterranean Sea since 2014 during attempts to travel from Africa to Europe.
