About 20 migrants are reported missing after their boat capsized off Italy
About 20 migrants are believed to be missing after their boat capsized in the Mediterranean this week
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.About 20 migrants are believed to be missing after their boat capsized in the Mediterranean this week, the U.N. refugee agency and the Italian coast guard said Wednesday.
Seven Syrians were rescued and taken to the southern Italian island of Lampedusa, Italian rescuers said. The coast guard said local officials had spotted the sinking boat around 10 miles (16 kilometers) southeast of the island.
The seven survivors were “in critical condition and many have lost their relatives," Chiara Cardoletti, the UNHCR representative to Italy, said on X.
Survivors said 28 people had left Libya on Sept. 1, the coast guard said in a statement. Twenty-one of them "fell into the sea due to adverse weather conditions,” it added.
Naval units and a coast guard aircraft were searching for those missing.
The central Mediterranean is one of the world’s deadliest migration routes. According to the U.N. migration agency, more than 2,500 migrants died or went missing attempting the crossing last year, and 1,047 have died this year.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of migration issues at https://apnews.com/hub/migration