Status: 04/16/2022 18:06
A boat with refugees on board sank off the coast of Libya – 35 people are believed to have died and many are still missing. Meanwhile, the rescue ship “Sea-Watch 3” was allowed to enter the port of Trapani in Sicily.
35 migrants are believed to have died when a wooden boat capsized off the coast of Libya. First, six bodies were recovered from the Mediterranean Sea near the port city of Sabrata in the west of the country, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). 29 other people are still missing after the accident that happened on Friday and are believed to be dead.
According to the organization, at least 53 migrants and refugees have been killed or are presumed dead in attempted crossings of the Mediterranean Sea in the past few days. Since the beginning of this year, at least 526 people have died or are missing during the crossing.
Last year, the IOM recorded more than 1,500 dead or missing on the so-called central Mediterranean route, which also includes crossings from Tunisia and is considered the most dangerous escape route in the world.
“Sea-Watch 3” was able to save more than 200 people
In Sicily, the civilian rescue ship “Sea-Watch 3” was allowed to dock in the port of Trapani after a long wait. “The 201 rescued are now allowed to disembark,” said the organization “Sea-Watch” on Twitter. At the beginning of the week, the Italian coast guard brought four rescued people from the “Sea-Watch 3” to shore because of their critical condition.
According to the information, five survivors had already been taken off board for medical reasons, including two heavily pregnant women.
Many of the 201 refugees and migrants need medical and psychological help, it said. The crew of the ship had rescued people from distress at sea during a total of five missions in the Mediterranean last weekend and had waited several days for permission to enter.