A Coast Guard official explained that 34 migrants have so far been found safely on the southern island’s shore. He added that at least three ships and one helicopter assisted in the operation, and four bodies were recovered from the sea.
Migrant flows have since receded, but the Mediterranean country has recently tightened migration rules following the return of arrivals from Libya via the Greek islands of Crete and Gavdos.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees announced that its teams are providing support to the survivors of what spokesperson Filippo Ongaro described as “painful repeated drownings” in a social media post. He noted that 20 bodies were found and a similar number were missing, according to Western media.
The central Mediterranean route, used by migrants heading to Italy, is considered one of the most dangerous migration routes in the world due to the use of rickety and overcrowded boats. The United Nations Refugee Agency has recorded 675 deaths on this route since the beginning of the year, while the Italian Ministry of the Interior has reported that 38,263 migrants have arrived on the country’s shores so far in 2025.
