Italy: Six Bodies Found, 40 Missing in Migrant Shipwreck Near Lampedusa

According to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), at least six people have died and about 40 are missing after an inflatable boat carrying migrants capsized near Italy’s Lampedusa island. The boat, which left Sfax in Tunisia with 56 people from Ivory Coast, Mali, Guinea, and Cameroon, began to deflate whereupon a rescue operation was started by Italian authorities. Six men and four women were rescued, but many others fell into the water.

The incident happened near Lampione, a rocky islet just west of Lampedusa, which is a common landing site for migrants coming from North Africa. 213 migrants arrived on the island Tuesday, creating serious pressure on facilities there.

Italy has seen 8,743 migrants arrive this year, which is just a bit more than the numbers from 2023. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s administration is focusing on tough border controls to reduce the number of crossings. They've even suggested processing migrants in Albania, but that plan has hit a bit of a snag due to legal issues. The International Organization for Migration also estimates 140 migrant deaths or disappearances in the Mediterranean this year.