22 Rescued, 9 Bodies Recovered as Smugglers' Boat Capsizes Near Lampedusa

On the morning of Wednesday, April 10th, a tragic event unfolded in the waters south of the island of Lampedusa, where a smugglers' boat carrying migrants capsized during a storm. The Italian coast guard sprung into action, rescuing 22 individuals and, sadly, recovering the bodies of nine victims.

Survivors revealed that the ill-fated journey commenced from Sfax, Tunisia, with 46 people on board, hailing from Guinea, Burkina Faso, Mali and Ivory Coast. The boat, with a steel bottom, struggled amidst 5-meter-high waves, ultimately leading to the distressing incident.

Tragically, among the deceased were a 6-month-old infant and eight men, as reported by the UNHCR. Furthermore, six survivors required urgent medical attention due to severe hypothermia and dehydration, with two individuals still receiving hospital care.

As summer approaches, the perilous attempts to cross the Mediterranean from Africa to Europe are expected to rise, accompanied by heightened concerns about more potential shipwrecks. This situation is exacerbated by Italian port restrictions on charity rescue boats, a policy instated by the country's far-right-led government.

Federico Fossi, a spokesperson for the UNHCR in Italy, expressed apprehension about the rising trend of embarking on sea voyages with unseaworthy metal boats. Additionally, the International Organization for Migration reported that 385 migrants have gone missing on the central Mediterranean route to Italy this year, with a staggering total of 23,109 since the inception of their missing migrants project in 2014.