The boat “capsized repeatedly, leaving people clinging to the side of the boat as their family members drowned around them,” Nicola Dell’Arciprete, the UN Children Agency (UNICEF) country coordinator for Italy, said in a statement posted online. The survivors, all male Syrian nationals, told rescuers they had embarked from Libya and that 21 of the … Read moreMigrant shipwreck leaves 21 more missing off coast of Lampedusa
A pregnant woman and a young child died when two boats carrying scores of migrants sank in rough seas off the Italian island of Lampedusa on Sunday, according to media reports. The boats had reportedly departed from Sfax, Tunisia, and many of the passengers were believed to be from sub-Saharan African countries. In a statement … Read moreUNICEF laments deaths of pregnant mother and toddler in Mediterranean Sea shipwreck
Duty to rescue people in distress In a joint statement, refugee agency UNHCR and migration agency IOM, said that the duty to rescue people in distress at sea without delay was a “fundamental” rule of the international maritime law. They underscored that the current approach to Mediterranean Sea crossings – one of the world’s most … Read moreMediterranean migrant shipwreck: Swift action needed to prevent new tragedy
“Every person searching for a better life deserves safety and dignity,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said. “We need safe, legal routes for migrants and refugees.” The UN refugee agency (UNCHR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), in a joint statement, expressed condolences for the victims and called on countries to increase resources and capabilities … Read moreDeadly shipwreck in Italy must trigger action to save lives, UN officials say