Headlines

Migrant shipwreck off the coast of Italy left dozens of people dead

Published

on

Rescuers handling a body bag at the site of a shipwreck in Steccato di Cutro, south of Crotone, after a migrants' boat sank off Italy's southern Calabria region on February 26, 2023. © STRINGER / ANSA / AFP

It is presumed that the boat was carrying individuals from Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

More than 40 migrants’ remains have been discovered washed up on a beach in southern Italy after a boat that was thought to be carrying more than 100 people broke apart off the coast on Sunday during bad weather.

Early reports state that 43 migrants’ bodies were discovered on the shore in Steccato di Cutro in the southern Italian province of Crotone, in Calabria. The migrants’ origins are thought to be Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. More victims were discovered to be still in the water, and according to Italian media, about 80 people had been saved. Up to 70 individuals may still be missing.

But, the death toll will “definitely” climb, according to the ANSA news agency, with a months-old baby being reported among the dead. Rescue efforts have been delayed by emergency services’ lack of credible information regarding the number of migrants on the vessel.

Advertisement

The bodies of 18 migrants were discovered in a truck.
More info The bodies of 18 migrants were discovered in a truck.
Following the tragedy, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her “great grief for the numerous human lives cut short by human traffickers” while also pleading with people to refrain from “speculating” on the precise number of fatalities.

Under the guise of a safe voyage for migrants to Europe, she continued, “traffickers swap the lives of men, women, and children for money,” which was “inhuman.”

The region had never before experienced a tragedy on this scale, said Cutro’s mayor Antonio Ceraso. He stated, “There had been landings in the past. Nevertheless, never such a disaster.

As a significant search and rescue operation continues, more updates are anticipated from Italian authorities on Sunday.

Advertisement

Border police, divers, and water rescuers were also a part of the rescue effort in addition to firefighters and the coast guard. Although the ship’s origin is still unknown, migrants frequently travel from either Turkey or Egypt before arriving in southern Italy.

For migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Europe, Italy and Spain are popular destinations. Around 100,000 migrants are expected to arrive in Italy in 2022, mostly from Egypt, Tunisia, Bangladesh, Syria, and Afghanistan, according to estimates.

Trending

Exit mobile version