On Monday, a shipwreck occurred off the southern coast of Italy, leaving 64 people missing at sea. Eleven survivors were rescued and brought to safety in a Calabrian town, as per the to United Nations agencies.
The first shipwreck happened about 200 kilometers off the coast of Calabria. A boat, which had left Turkey eight days earlier, caught fire and overturned. The survivors told the UN agencies that the boat was carrying people from Iran, Syria, and Iraq. The Italian Coast Guard started the search and rescue operation after receiving a Mayday call from a French boat in the area.
The Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre quickly sent two nearby merchant vessels to help with the rescue. Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, also assisted in the operation. The survivors were taken to the Calabrian port of Roccella Jonica, where medical personnel attended to them. Sadly, one of the rescued migrants died shortly after reaching shore.
In a separate incident, another shipwreck occurred near Italy’s Lampedusa island. Rescuers found 10 bodies trapped below the deck of a wooden boat. The German aid group Resqship, which discovered the wreck, shared the news on social media.
ALSO READ: “United States Tourist Found Dead On Greek Island During Heatwave”
Resqship’s boat, the Nadir, found 61 people on board the waterlogged wooden boat. The crew managed to rescue 51 people, including two who were unconscious. Unfortunately, they also found 10 deceased individuals in the flooded lower deck of the boat.
These incidents highlight the ongoing risks faced by migrants attempting dangerous sea journeys. The search and rescue operations continue as authorities and aid groups work tirelessly to find the missing and assist the survivors.
Comments