The UN reports that more than 40 people are still missing after a migrant boat capsized close to the Italian island of Lampedusa. Strong winds and high waves caused the boat, which was carrying 46 migrants from Cameroon, Burkina Faso, and the Ivory Coast, to capsize. Seven women and a minor are listed as missing, while all of the survivors are adult men.
There have been more migrant boat shipwrecks and more people coming to the EU via the central Mediterranean. In order to stop further catastrophes, European ships must patrol the Libyan and Tunisian routes because the poorly built boats are extremely vulnerable.
A key entry point for migrants traveling across the Mediterranean is Lampedusa, which is situated 145 kilometers from the coast of Tunisia. Out of the 105,000 migrants who entered Italy last year, more than 46,000 arrived there.
Chiara Cardoletti, a UNHCR representative, expressed her concern about the ongoing loss of life near Europe’s coastlines. She urged states to coordinate a maritime rescue system, highlighting the pressing need to take action.
Similar tragedies have happened in Italy, Greece, and Spain. Just last week, a crowded Libyan trawler sank off the coast of Greece, killing at least 82 people and leaving many more unaccounted for.
These incidents occurred not long after EU ministers decided to rewrite the guidelines for resettling migrants and those seeking asylum in a more equitable manner. By the spring of 2024, the European Commission hopes to have reforms in place, including stronger external borders and mandatory assistance between EU members.
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