ROME – Over 70 people went missing after a migrant boat attempting to reach Europe from Libya capsized near the coast of Lampedusa.
Reports said 32 survivors were rescued, two of whom later died. The incident occurred on Easter Sunday. The vessel was spotted by two commercial ships passing through the area, whose crews carried out emergency rescue operations.
Survivors were later transferred to Italian Coast Guard vessels and taken to the island of Lampedusa.
Officials from the Italian Ministry of Interior have not commented on the incident, and requests for information from the Coast Guard have not been immediately answered.
Survivors reported that the boat carried a total of 105 people, leaving 71 unaccounted for.
Video released by Sea-Watch shows survivors clinging to the overturned boat while a commercial ship approaches.
The Mediterranean has been particularly affected this year by rough weather, severely impacting travel from North Africa.
The International Organization for Migration estimates that at least 683 people have died in the central Mediterranean so far in 2026, the highest toll since 2014.
