At least 9 dead, 15 missing after migrant boat sinks near Italy
At least nine people died and 15 remain missing on Thursday after a boat carrying migrants capsized in waters off southern Italy on Wednesday.
According to the Italian Coast Guard and non-governmental watchdog groups, the boat, carrying 46 people from Burkina Faso, Guinea, Ivory Coast and Mali, capsized and sank amid high winds late Wednesday, three days after it departed from Sfax in Tunisia, Italy's ANSA News Agency reported.
The Coast Guard said it rescued 22 people and recovered eight bodies, including a girl believed to be between four and eight years old. Another victim, a boy, died before he could be hospitalized.
The survivors and the bodies of the victims were taken to a migrant processing center in Lampedusa, the southernmost island in Italy.
The shipwreck was believed to have taken place in waters between Lampedusa and Malta.
According to the latest data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the total number of migrant arrivals in Europe from across the Mediterranean was just under 45,000 as of April 7. That is around 5,000 more than at the same time in 2023.
Last year, Italy reported the landing of nearly 158,000 migrants and more than 1,900 deaths at sea. It has received 14,600 migrants from the Mediterranean so far this year.
Related articles
Arkansas teacher, 26, is charged with sexually assaulting 15
A teacher and children's volunteer at one of Arkansas' biggest churches accused of sexually abusing2024-04-30Parliament repeals Fair Pay Agreements
Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly2024-04-30Kamala Harris blames Trump for abortion ban in Arizona
By Ted Hesson and Trevor Hunnicutt, for ReutersUS Vice President Kamala Harris speaks on reproductiv2024-04-30Finance Minister Nicola Willis attending Waitangi commemorations, Iwi Chairs Forum
Finance Minister Nicola Willis. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone2024-04-30Paramount Global's Bob Bakish is stepping down as CEO
NEW YORK (AP) — Paramount Global on Monday announced that Bob Bakish is stepping down as CEO of the2024-04-30NZ report card 2023: near the top of the class in some areas, bottom in others
By Alexander Gillespie* of2024-04-30
atest comment