In a harrowing series of events off the southern coast of Italy, at least 11 individuals have perished, with dozens more reported missing following two separate shipwrecks involving migrants.
The first disaster unfolded near the island of Lampedusa, where a German aid group’s rescue ship, RESQSHIP, encountered a wooden vessel on the brink of sinking. The team managed to rescue 51 people; however, amidst the chaos, they discovered ten bodies entrapped within the flooded lower deck of the ship. Two individuals were found unconscious and required urgent liberation using an axe.
In an equally distressing second incident approximately 125 miles east of Calabria, a yacht that had embarked from Turkey caught ablaze and capsized. The United Nations agencies report that one woman tragically lost her life after falling overboard amidst the turmoil. The Italian coastguard has confirmed the rescue of at least 12 migrants from this wreckage, with origins traced back to Iran, Iraq, and Syria.
As search and rescue efforts continue, the fate of over 50 individuals from the vessel near Calabria hangs in uncertainty. The international community watches with bated breath as these tragic events continue to unfold.
