LAMPEDUSA, Italy: Italy’s coastguard reported on Thursday that they had responded to a distress call from Maltese authorities regarding a migrant boat that had capsized southeast of Lampedusa, resulting in the recovery of nine deceased migrants, including a child, while 22 individuals were rescued.
The incident occurred within Malta’s search-and-rescue jurisdiction, approximately 30 miles southeast of Lampedusa. Italy’s coastguard promptly dispatched a patrol boat to the scene, where they successfully rescued 22 survivors and recovered the bodies of nine individuals, tragically including a child.
Rescue efforts were complicated by rough sea conditions, with wave heights reaching up to 2.5 meters (8.2 feet), presenting significant challenges during the operation.
Upon recovery, the survivors, suffering from severe hypothermia, were transported to Lampedusa for urgent medical attention and support.
In addition to the patrol boat, a coastguard aircraft was deployed to aid in search efforts for any remaining missing migrants in the area, although specific figures regarding the number of individuals still unaccounted for were not disclosed.
