Tragedy as At Least 20 Migrants Die, Dozens Missing in Shipwreck Off Lampedusa

At least 20 people have died and dozens remain missing after a migrant boat capsized in the Mediterranean Sea on Wednesday, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has confirmed.

The tragedy occurred about 14 miles southwest of the Italian island of Lampedusa, a key landing point for migrants attempting the perilous crossing from North Africa to Europe. According to UNHCR spokesman Filippo Ungaro, rescuers have so far recovered 20 bodies, while an estimated 20 others remain unaccounted for.

“Deep anguish for the umpteenth shipwreck off the coast of Lampedusa, where UNHCR is now assisting the survivors,” Ungaro wrote on social media, calling attention to the growing death toll and ongoing rescue efforts.

Italian news outlet Radio Radicale reported that the vessel was carrying 97 people when it ran into trouble. Details of what caused the boat to overturn remain unclear, but survivors have been taken to Lampedusa for medical attention and questioning by authorities.

Save the Children Italy said among the missing is a one-and-a-half-year-old girl, feared to have drowned.

The organization described the incident as another heartbreaking reminder of the dangers facing migrants and refugees on the Central Mediterranean route one of the world’s deadliest migration corridors.

The Italian Coast Guard, assisted by humanitarian organizations, has launched a large-scale search and rescue operation, though rough seas and strong currents are hampering efforts.

The Central Mediterranean continues to claim thousands of lives each year as people flee conflict, persecution, and poverty in their home countries, seeking safety and better opportunities in Europe.

International agencies have repeatedly called for more coordinated European search and rescue mechanisms, safe migration pathways, and stronger measures to prevent such tragedies.

This latest disaster adds to a growing list of fatal shipwrecks near Lampedusa, underscoring the persistent humanitarian crisis at Europe’s southern border.