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last mo.

Six Dead, 40 Missing After Migrant Boat Sinks Near Lampedusa

Italian Coast Guard continues search for survivors as rough seas challenge rescue efforts in the central Mediterranean.

The Sea Eye 4 ship carries 41 migrants rescued in the Mediterranean Sea during the joint mission between Sea Eye, Sea Watch, and Mediterranea Saving Humans and arrives in the port of Naples, Italy, on Tuesday morning. Activists from the Mediterranea Saving Humans organization, including president Laura Marmorale and mission leader Luca Casarini, welcome the ship on the quay. (Photo by Paolo Manzo/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Survivors were picked up by the Italian coastguard. Pictured, another rescue in 2023
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The IOM says 140 people have died or gone missing attempting the central Mediterranean crossing so far this year

Overview

  • An inflatable dinghy carrying 56 migrants from North Africa sank near the Italian island of Lampedusa after departing from Sfax, Tunisia on Monday.
  • The Italian Coast Guard rescued 10 survivors, including six men and four women, and recovered six bodies, while 40 people remain missing.
  • Survivors reported the boat began to deflate a few hours into the journey, with many passengers falling overboard due to rough seas.
  • Search and rescue operations, supported by Frontex and other agencies, are ongoing despite adverse weather conditions hindering efforts.
  • This tragedy highlights the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the central Mediterranean, where over 24,506 migrant deaths and disappearances were recorded between 2014 and 2024.