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At least 27 migrants and refugees drowned on Thursday following a tragic shipwreck off the coast of the Italian island of Lampedusa, according to a statement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Filippo Grandi, marking yet another deadly incident in the perilous Central Mediterranean migration route.
In a post on X, Grandi stated that over 700 refugees and migrants have lost their lives in the Central Mediterranean so far in 2025, while emphasising the urgent need to enhance all aspects of the response to deal with such situations. "At least 27 people have drowned in a tragic shipwreck near #Lampedusa. Over 700 refugees and migrants have now died in 2025 in the Central Mediterranean. All responses -- rescue at sea, safe pathways, helping transit countries and addressing root causes -- must be strengthened," Grandi stated in his post. According to UNHCR Italy's Communication Officer, the agency is currently assisting survivors from the wreck. "Deep anguish over yet another shipwreck off the coast of Lampedusa, where UNHCR is now assisting the survivors. Twenty bodies have reportedly been recovered, with an equal number of people missing," the officer said in a post on X. "So far this year, 675 deaths have been recorded in the Central Mediterranean. Strengthen legal pathways," he added. Flavio Di Giacomo, spokesperson for the Coordination Office for the Mediterranean of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), described the harrowing events that led to the disaster. Taking to X, Giacomo stated that around 95 people had departed from Libya on two boats, but after one vessel started taking on water, all passengers were forced to board the other. Unfortunately, this boat capsized due to severe overloading. "Tragic shipwreck off the coast of #Lampedusa. About 95 people departed from Libya on two boats; after one took on water, everyone boarded the other, which then capsized due to overloading," he stated in the post. Currently, 60 survivors have been rescued, while approximately 35 people are feared dead or missing, Giacomo added. According to the data from the Coordination Office for the Mediterranean of IOM in Italy, at least 962 migrants had died so far this year as of August 13, along the Mediterranean routes, with 675 dead in the Central Mediterranean, 155 in the Western Mediterranean and 132 in the Eastern Mediterranean. As per Euronews, citing UNHCR data, in the first half of 2025, Italy received 30,060 refugees and migrants by sea, marking a 16 per cent rise compared to the same period last year. Since 2014, the Central Mediterranean route has been identified by the IOM as the deadliest in the world, with over 25,260 people reported dead or missing, with many lost at sea. The IOM warns the actual death toll could be higher, as numerous cases go unreported. Most fatalities involve small boats departing from Tunisia and Libya. As per Euronews, one of the Mediterranean's deadliest shipwrecks occurred on October 3, 2013, when a boat leaving Libya capsized near Lampedusa, killing at least 368 people. The tragedy sparked widespread outrage, prompting Italy to establish an annual day of remembrance for victims of that disaster and other fatal maritime accidents that year. (ANI)
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