The Italian Coast Guard said Wednesday it was still searching for 40 missing people.
The UN refugee agency said six bodies were recovered from the central Mediterranean by the Italian coast guard after the dinghy inflated into the area sunk.
Italian authorities announced Wednesday that they are still searching for up to 40 immigrants. The incident comes the day after ten other people are rescued from the ship and taken to Lampedusa, Italy.
Survivors were in good health and were given psychological care, the Red Cross said.
According to Chiara Cardoletti, Italy representative at UNHCR, a total of 56 people from Cameroon, Guinea, Ivory Coast and Mali were heading to Europe by boat. UNHCR said the rubber containers left Sfax, Tunisian city on Monday evening and began on a few hours’ journey.
On Saturday, a boat carrying Syrian refugees sank off the coast of Cyprus, with island authorities saying they have recovered at least seven bodies. They added that two people have been rescued and at least 11 have gone missing.
Thousands of people die every year trying to cross the Mediterranean towards Europe. With many deaths not recorded, official data is thought to underestimate the number of true casualties.
According to the UN’s Missing Immigration Project, at least 24,506 people died or disappeared at sea between 2014 and 2024.
Last year, more than 2,200 migrants died or disappeared in the Mediterranean, according to the United Nations. So far, 8,963 migrants have arrived in Italy, the domestic ministry said Wednesday.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has attempted to reduce ship departures through economic agreements with North African countries.
Meloni argued this week that the deal was responsible for a nearly 60% drop in the number of migrants who have arrived in Italy. Last year, 66,317 cases fell from 157,651 in 2023.
“What do these numbers mean? They say reducing departures and holding back the business of traffickers is the only way to reduce the number of immigrants who lost their lives trying to reach Italy and Europe,” she said Tuesday.
Meloni’s government was attacked due to the decision to open an asylum disposal centre in Albania. This was challenged by an Italian court and referred to the European Court of Justice.
