Migrant shipwreck leaves 21 extra lacking off coast of Lampedusa | EUROtoday

The boat “capsized repeatedly, leaving people clinging to the side of the boat as their family members drowned around them,” Nicola Dell’Arciprete, the UN Children Agency (UNICEF) nation coordinator for Italy, mentioned in an announcement posted on-line.

The survivors, all male Syrian nationals, informed rescuers that they had embarked from Libya and that 21 of the 28 individuals aboard, together with three kids, had fallen into the ocean throughout tough climate.

Several Sudanese have been additionally on the boat in response to the Italian workplace of the UN refugee company (UNHCR).

The lethal Mediterranean crossing

The central Mediterranean is among the many deadliest migration routes on the earth, in response to the current Missing Migrants Project from UN migration company IOM.

The IOM discovered that greater than 2,500 migrants died or went lacking making an attempt the crossing final yr alone, and over 1,000 extra thus far this yr.

Generally, one in three migrants die whereas fleeing battle, in response to IOM’s evaluation of migrant deaths from 2014-2023.

Last yr was the deadliest on document, with 8,541 migrant victims. Nearly 60 per cent of those deaths have been linked to drowning.

English Channel tragedy

Reports of six kids and a pregnant mom among the many 12 who drowned within the English Channel on Tuesday is one more “unacceptable tragedy”, the UNICEF workplace that covers Europe mentioned on Wednesday.

“We cannot stand by and watch another of Europe’s shores become a burial ground for children,” they emphasised, including that one in 5 individuals arriving irregularly within the UK are kids.

“More safe and regular pathways, as well as solutions to the root issues driving people to leave their home, are urgently needed,” IOM chief Amy Pope acknowledged on X in response to the unnecessary deaths.