Overview

• Survivor testimonies and IOM data indicate about 95 migrants departed Libya on two vessels before overcrowding forced a transfer that capsized a fibreglass boat
• A Guardia di Finanza helicopter first located the overturned vessel roughly 14 nautical miles south of Lampedusa, sparking multi-agency coast guard and Frontex search efforts
• Rescue teams have recovered 27 bodies provisionally, including a newborn and several children, while an estimated dozen migrants remain unaccounted for
• Sixty survivors, among them 21 minors, were brought ashore to Lampedusa reception facilities, with several hospitalised for medical checks
• Italian authorities, UNHCR and IOM officials are identifying bodies, aiding survivors and pressing for tougher measures against smugglers, expanded rescue capacity and safe legal routes