The bodies of 14 more migrants have been recovered following a shipwreck off the coast of Italy, bringing the death toll to 34, the Italian coastguard reported on Friday.
The vessel, which sank approximately 200km east of Calabria after catching fire and capsizing, was believed to be sailing from Türkiye.
"Today, 14 bodies were recovered from the coastguard vessels Dattilo and Corsi. A total of 34 bodies have been retrieved since search operations began,” the Italian coastguard announced.
The incident occurred overnight Sunday-Monday, with only 11 survivors reported and more than 60 individuals still missing.
Air and sea searches are ongoing as authorities continue to look for the missing migrants. On Thursday, the coastguard had already reported finding 12 bodies, including women and children.
Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) earlier reported that survivors indicated 66 people were missing, including at least 26 children. Afghan families were among those unaccounted for, according to MSF.
The Mediterranean Sea remains a perilous route for migrants, with more than 3,150 individuals dying or disappearing last year, as per the UN's International Organization for Migration. Over 1,000 migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean so far this year.
The central Mediterranean route, between North Africa and Italy and Malta, is particularly deadly, accounting for 80% of the deaths and disappearances. Many migrants depart from Tunisia or Libya, aiming for Italy as their first port of call.
Despite the dangers, nearly 24,500 migrants have landed in Italy so far this year, a significant decrease from the more than 58,600 arrivals during the same period in 2023, according to the Italian interior ministry. (ILKHA)
LEGAL WARNING: All rights of the published news, photos and videos are reserved by İlke Haber Ajansı Basın Yayın San. Trade A.Ş. Under no circumstances can all or part of the news, photos and videos be used without a written contract or subscription.
The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, has offered its condolences following the martyrdom of Hezbollah Secretary-General, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, after an Israeli airstrike targeted Hezbollah’s command center in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
Hezbollah has announced the martyrdom of its Secretary-General, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, in a statement released today following an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, convened an emergency session of the Supreme National Security Council following Israel's military strike on Hezbollah's headquarters in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan issued a strong warning against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's military actions in Palestine and Lebanon during a United Nations Security Council meeting on the Middle East crisis.