ROME – At least 26 migrants have died after their boat capsized near the Italian island of Lampedusa, the international media reported on Thursday.
According to the reports, the vessel was carrying more than 90 migrants when it overturned close to the Mediterranean island, a key entry point for people attempting to reach Europe from North Africa.
Rescue teams rushed to the scene and launched an extensive search and rescue operation.
The authorities fear the death toll could rise as several people remain missing. So far, 60 survivors have been pulled from the water including 56 men and four women.
In a related incident, foreign media reported that four boats carrying undocumented migrants sank off the coasts of Yemen and Africa in recent days, further underscoring the dangers of illegal sea crossings.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the migrants aboard the ill-fated Lampedusa-bound vessel had departed from Libya.
However, officials have yet to confirm the nationalities of those on board.
Italy’s Lampedusa, located between Sicily and Tunisia, has long been a primary landing point for migrants seeking to enter Europe.
Thousands of people risk their lives each year in overcrowded and unseaworthy boats, often falling victim to human traffickers who exploit their desperation.
