2 Dead, Over 30 Feared Missing As Migrant Boats Sink Off Italy's Lampedusa. 57 Rescued So Far

Italy's coastguard recovers two bodies and rescues 57 off Lampedusa. Over 30 feared missing as migrant boats sink en route to Europe.

The number of sea migration cases in Italy has significantly increased, with nearly 92,000 arrivals recorded so far this year. (Image used for representational purposes only.)

The coastguard of Italy reported the recovery of two bodies and the rescue of 57 people off the southern Italian island of Lampedusa. The incident occurred amid distressing reports of more than 30 people feared missing after two migrant boats sank on their way to Europe, according to The Guardian report published on Sunday (August 7). Survivors' accounts indicated that the ill-fated boats, carrying 48 and 42 people respectively, had set off from the port of Sfax, a known hotspot for Tunisia's migration crisis, the report said. 

The survivors were found about 23 nautical miles (43 kilometres) southwest of Lampedusa, where they had survived the terrifying ordeal of the shipwreck, according to the report. A woman from Ivory Coast and her one-year-old child were among those rescued, while the discovery of two fatalities added to the tragedy, it said.

The report citing local media said: "About 20 people have been trapped on a cliff since Friday after their boat collided with rocks upon arrival in Lampedusa, with the coastguard unable to reach them by sea or helicopter."

Over 2,000 migrants have arrived in Lampedusa in recent days after being rescued at sea by Italian patrol boats and non-governmental organisations. Strong winds have hampered rescue efforts around Lampedusa, with some boats unable to reach the shore safely, leaving passengers in perilous conditions, the report said. 

Meanwhile, the NGO Open Arms faced difficulties during a two-day journey in rough seas, rescuing 195 people. The rescued migrants were finally disembarking in the southern Italian port of Brindisi, according to the report. 

However, the policy of Italy's rightwing government of assigning distant ports to charity ships rather than allowing them to disembark closer to Lampedusa or Sicily has been a source of contention for NGOs. 

This approach aims to spread arrivals across the country, but it has been criticised for increasing navigation costs, prolonging survivors' suffering, and limiting the time charity ships can patrol high-risk Mediterranean areas, the report added. 

According to interior ministry data, the number of sea migration cases in Italy has significantly increased, with nearly 92,000 arrivals recorded so far this year. This figure contrasts sharply with the same period in 2022, when just over 42,600 people arrived.