At least 20 migrants have died after a boat carrying nearly 100 people capsized off the Italian island of Lampedusa, with authorities still searching for 12 to 17 additional survivors, the UN refugee agency reported. Some 60 people have been rescued and brought to a reception centre on the island. Survivors said between 92 and 97 migrants had been on board when the vessel departed from Libya.

UNHCR spokesman Filippo Ungaro expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, highlighting the agency’s ongoing assistance to survivors. According to the UN, 675 migrants have died attempting the Central Mediterranean crossing so far in 2025, not including the latest disaster. In the first half of the year, 30,060 refugees and migrants reached Italy by sea, marking a 16% increase compared with the same period in 2024.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has repeatedly warned that the Central Mediterranean route has become the world’s deadliest migration path. Since 2014, more than 25,260 people have died or gone missing attempting the crossing, though the true number is likely higher, as many deaths go unrecorded. Most fatalities involve small boats departing from Tunisia and Libya. A previous maritime disaster off Lampedusa on 3 October 2013 claimed at least 368 lives, prompting Italy to establish an annual day of remembrance for victims of such shipwrecks.

The recent incident involved two boats that left Tripoli, Libya, earlier on Wednesday. The Italian coastguard said one boat began taking on water, prompting passengers to transfer to the second vessel, which then capsized. Around 60 people were rescued, including 56 men and four women, while the provisional death toll stands at at least 26. UN migration agency spokesman Flavio Di Giacomo noted that approximately 35 victims were feared dead or missing. Among the recovered bodies were a newborn, three children, and several adults.

Lampedusa, located about 145 kilometres off Tunisia, is a frequent entry point for migrants attempting to reach Europe on overcrowded and unsafe boats. Italian authorities have increasingly tried to intercept vessels at sea before they reach the island. On Wednesday, Italy’s financial police spotted the capsized boat and several bodies from a helicopter. Five vessels, along with aircraft and a helicopter, are searching for additional survivors, including a ship from the EU’s Frontex agency.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed condolences and vowed to intensify efforts against migrant traffickers. Her government, in office since October 2022, has focused on reducing Mediterranean crossings through deals with North African countries, providing funding and training to curb departures. Meloni stressed that rescue operations alone cannot solve the problem, warning against the “inhumane cynicism” of traffickers who organize these dangerous journeys. She called for stronger measures to prevent irregular departures and manage migration flows.

So far this year, 38,263 migrants have arrived in Italy, similar to numbers recorded at the same time last year, but significantly lower than the nearly 100,000 arrivals recorded by mid-August 2023. The ongoing fatalities highlight the persistent danger of the Central Mediterranean route, underscoring the need for both preventive measures and coordinated international action.