Two tragedies on the same day: Many dead, dozens missing

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The United Nations (UN) International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that two separate migrant boat accidents occurred in the Mediterranean on April 10.

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Published: 20:46 – 12 April 2024 Updated:

Apart from the sinking of a small boat on April 10, 30 miles southeast of Lampedusa Island in the Mediterranean, it was revealed that there was another migrant boat accident a few hours earlier on the same day.

9 DEAD, 60 MISSING

IOM Mediterranean Coordination Office Spokesperson Flavio Di Giacomo, in his post on the “45 people are missing,” he said.

Di Giacomo said, “One migrant said he survived both boat accidents. He was the only survivor of the first boat accident, who later sank and was rescued by another small boat. He was then taken to Lampedusa with other surviving migrants.”

Flavio Di Giacomo stated that both boats were made of iron and departed from Tunisia.

In the statement made by the Italian Coast Guard Command on April 11, it was announced that 22 people were rescued and the dead bodies of 9 people were recovered from the small boat that sank on April 10.

In their first statements, the rescued people reported that there were 15 more people on their boat and that they were missing.

413 MIGRANTS LOST AT SEA IN 2024

According to data compiled by IOM on missing irregular migrants, 413 migrants were lost at sea in the Central Mediterranean from the beginning of the year to April 10.

On the other hand, according to the data of the Italian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the number of irregular immigrants who crossed the sea into the country between January 1 and April 12 this year was 16 thousand 093. In the same period last year, this number was 32 thousand 324.

THE PROBLEM OF IRREGULAR MIGRATION IN THE CENTRAL MEDITERRANEAN

In the irregular migration flow to Europe, the Central Mediterranean route between Italy, Malta, Libya and Tunisia stands out as one of the routes with intense activity in recent years.

Irregular migrants who set sail from the coast of North Africa and then call for help are usually rescued by non-governmental organizations of European origin, rather than European state officials. The NGOs in question sometimes have difficulty evacuating the irregular immigrants they rescue because EU member states do not provide a “safe harbour”.

Since last year, NGOs have been facing some difficulties in carrying out their activities due to the latest legal regulations in Italy.

The first place in Europe for immigrants who can cross the Mediterranean on their own or are rescued is usually Italy’s Lampedusa Island, the closest landmass to North Africa, or sometimes Malta.

On the other hand, every year, many irregular migrants lose their lives while trying to cross the Mediterranean due to boats capsizing or being left without water or air due to overcrowding.