51 evacuated, over 10 dead in suspected Mediterranean migration accident
Jun 18, 2024
Rome [Italy], June 18 : More than ten suspected migrants died and 51 were evacuated on Monday during a failed travel attempt in Mediterranean waters on the southern Italian island near North Africa, Euro News reported citing the German aid group RESQSHIP statement.
German aid group RESQSHIP, which operates the Nadir rescue ship, said it picked up 51 people from a sinking wooden boat, including two who were unconscious, and found 10 bodies in the vessel.
In a post on X, RESQSHIP said that their crew were "caring" for 51 people evacuated off the boat. "The rescue came too late for 10 people."
"Two of whom were unconscious - they had to be cut free with an axe," the post on X added.
According to Euro News, the southern Italian island near North Africa is a famous target destination for human smuggling, with 127,000 migrants arriving last year.
Simultaneously, the Italian Coast Guard is searching for approximately 50 people missing after a vessel shipwrecked off the southern Calabrian coast.
According to a statement from the Italian Coast Guard, the search and rescue operation began following a Mayday call from a French boat, which was sailing about 120 miles (193 kilometres) from Italian shores, as per Euro News.
The incident occurred in an area under the jurisdiction of both Greece and Italy, the statement added.
Rescuers reported the presence of a half-sunken boat and recovered 12 migrants, most likely travelling from Turkiye.
The survivors were brought to the Calabrian port of Roccella Jonica, where they received medical care.
Unfortunately, one of the migrants died shortly after being rescued, according to the coast guard.
The Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (IMRCC) of the Coast Guard in Rome immediately diverted two merchant vessels sailing nearby to the scene of the rescue. Assets from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex also helped.
