A devastating shipwreck in the Mediterranean Sea has left six migrants and refugees dead and an estimated 40 missing, Al Jazeera reports, citing a United Nations official.
The incident occurred after an inflatable dinghy carrying 56 people capsized, sparking renewed concerns over the perilous journeys undertaken by those seeking refuge in Europe.
Chiara Cardoletti, a representative for the UNHCR, confirmed the tragedy on Wednesday, stating that the boat had departed from Tunisia on Monday.
The Italian coastguard responded to the distress call, rescuing 10 survivors. The search for the missing individuals has resumed near the island of Lampedusa, according to Italian news agency ANSA.
Survivors recounted harrowing details, indicating that some of the missing had been swept overboard due to rough seas, AGI news agency reported. The passengers were reportedly from Ivory Coast, Mali, The Gambia, and Cameroon.
In a separate incident, a group of 40 people arrived on Lampedusa after travelling from Sfax in Tunisia on metal boats, highlighting the continued flow of migration across the Mediterranean.
Five landings occurred on Lampedusa on Tuesday alone, bringing 213 people to the island and pushing the total number of migrants and refugees at the reception center to 230, according to reports.
The Italian Ministry of the Interior reports that 8,743 people have arrived in Italy so far this year, a slight increase compared to the same period in 2023.
The tragedy underscores the deadly risks associated with crossing the Mediterranean. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that more than 31,500 people have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean since 2014, with 246 deaths recorded so far this year alone.
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