09 August,2023 03:34 PM IST | Rome | mid-day online correspondent
File photo used for representation.
Tragedy struck as a migrant boat capsized off the coast of Tunisia, with an estimated 41 individuals feared dead, as reported by Italian state RAI television. The information comes from four survivors who were rescued and safely brought ashore on Wednesday.
According to both RAI and ANSA news agency, the survivors were initially saved by the Maltese-flagged bulk carrier Rimona in the Straits of Sicily. Subsequently, they were transferred to the Italian coast guard, who took them to the Sicilian island of Lampedusa.
Lampedusa, situated closer to Africa than the Italian mainland, has become a frequent destination for migrant smugglers. The island's migrant holding center has been consistently overcrowded with new arrivals this summer.
Alessandra Filograno, spokesperson for the Italian Red Cross, confirmed that four survivors arrived at the Lampedusa center on Wednesday morning. The group consisted of two men, a woman, and an unaccompanied minor. However, no additional details were provided by Filograno.
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While ANSA and RAI did not attribute the information, they both relayed accounts from the four survivors, originating from Ivory Coast and Guinea. The survivors reported that 41 people, including three children, had lost their lives.
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Throughout this summer, a series of shipwrecks involving smugglers' boats departing from Tunisia bound for Italy have occurred. Italy's Interior Ministry disclosed that over 93,000 migrants have reached Italy this year, surpassing the 45,000 who arrived during the same period in 2022.
The primary nationalities of these arrivals are from Guinea, Ivory Coast, Egypt, and Tunisia. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, a member of the right-wing government that includes the anti-migrant League party, has rallied the European Union to collaborate on efforts aimed at encouraging Tunisia to combat smuggling operations. Despite these efforts, boats continue to embark on dangerous journeys. (AP)
