According to ANSA and other Italian news organisations, a migrant shipwreck off the eastern coast of Italy’s Calabria area has resulted in at least 33 fatalities.
ANSA reported that at least 27 bodies had been discovered on the shores of Steccato di Cutro, a coastal resort in the province of Crotone, and that further bodies had been seen in the water.
The news agency predicted that the 33 preliminary fatalities will “certainly” increase.
The national firefighters’ department posted on the Telegram messaging app, “Several dead are reported among the migrants, [and] about 40 survivors,” adding that the migrants’ ship had grounded by the coast.
AGI, another Italian news agency, reported that a newborn and numerous children were among the deceased, although Adnkronos reported that there were over 100 passengers aboard the ship.
According to Adnkronos, the boat carrying migrants from Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan collided with rocks during choppy seas.
We were unable to quickly reach the Italian coast guard for comment despite reports that they were present at the location along with other police agencies and firefighters.
One of the primary entry places for migrants trying to reach Europe by sea is Italy. One of the world’s most hazardous routes is the so-called central Mediterranean route.
The central Mediterranean has seen the deaths or disappearances of 20,333 persons since 2014, according to the Missing Migrants Project of the International Organization for Migration.
