At least three migrants, including two children aged 3 and 4, have died during a Mediterranean sea crossing from Libya to Italy, according to a German sea rescue charity. The charity, RESQSHIP, reported that it rescued 59 survivors from the perilous journey on Sunday.
The migrants were intercepted on Saturday aboard a rubber boat adrift south of the Italian island of Lampedusa. The vessel was initially spotted by a surveillance aircraft belonging to Frontex, the EU border agency.
“By the time (we) reached the rubber boat at around 4.30pm (1430 GMT), it was too late to help some of the people,” RESQSHIP said in a statement.
Rania, a paramedic with the charity, reported that “Two bodies of infants aged 3 and 4 were handed over to us. They had died the day before, probably of thirst.”
In addition to the children, an unconscious man was found and subsequently declared dead despite resuscitation attempts. Survivors also reported that another migrant had drowned on Friday after falling overboard.
Many of the survivors, who were transported to Lampedusa, suffered chemical burns from exposure to salt water and fuel. Six individuals in critical condition, including two children and four adults, were transferred to the Italian coast guard for expedited transport to shore.
The rubber boat had departed from Zawiya in western Libya on Wednesday, but its engine failed after only one day, leaving the migrants vulnerable to the elements, the NGO stated.
Lampedusa, situated between Tunisia, Malta, and Sicily, is a primary entry point for migrants seeking to reach the EU from North Africa. This route has become one of the deadliest sea crossings in the world.
Since 2014, nearly 25,000 migrants have perished or disappeared on this central Mediterranean route, according to the International Organization for Migration. This includes approximately 1,700 deaths last year and 378 so far this year.
