37 immigrants missing in boat sinking off the coast of Italy
37 immigrants missing in boat sinking off the coast of Italy
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| boat sinking off the coast of Italy |
In Italy, 37 asylum seekers have been rescued from a capsized boat off the coast. The last Thursday, the vessel carrying the refugees sank near the island of Lampedusa.
Footage released by Italy’s Coast Guard shows a super yacht sinking off the country’s southern coast on August 22. According to local media, four passengers and five crew members were safely rescued from the sinking vessel. pic.twitter.com/rmnaRFxDhi
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) August 23, 2022
The spokesperson for the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) in Italy, Shaira Cardolletti, stated that among the missing individuals, at least one newborn has been found.
Flavio Di Giacomo, the spokesperson for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), mentioned that there were 46 asylum seekers on the sunken boat, which was coming from Tunisia to Italy. The asylum seekers were from Cameroon, Burkina Faso, and Ivory Coast.
The authorities of the United Nations informed that the boat sank due to strong winds and rough seas. The rescuers said, 'Several people have been rescued and brought to Lampedusa, while others have been sent back to Tunisia.'
Flavio Di Giacomo stated that all the rescued individuals are adult males. Among the missing persons, there are seven women and one child.
Many people from several African countries attempt to reach Europe by crossing the Mediterranean Sea. However, this journey across the dangerous sea often results in accidents.
According to UNHCR, last year, 105,000 asylum seekers arrived in Italy. Among them, 46,000 reached Lampedusa.
