Tragedy at Sea: Another Deadly Shipwreck Off Lampedusa

In another devastating incident along the perilous Central Mediterranean migration route, at least 27 migrants and refugees tragically lost their lives after a shipwreck off the Italian island of Lampedusa. This catastrophe, reported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), comes amid a growing death toll in 2025, with over 700 people having perished already.

Filippo Grandi, UNHCR's chief, highlighted the urgency for bolstered responses, including enhanced rescue operations, legal migration pathways, and initiatives to address the root causes of such perilous journeys. UNHCR Italy is currently aiding survivors of this latest shipwreck, where 20 bodies have been recovered and many remain missing.

The tragedy unfolded after around 95 individuals set sail from Libya on two boats. Overloading ensued when one boat began taking on water, leading to the capsizing of the second, more burdened vessel. Flavio Di Giacomo of IOM detailed this calamitous sequence, noting that 60 people have been rescued while approximately 35 remain feared dead or missing.

(With inputs from agencies.)