At least 26 die as migrant boats sink off Italian island of Lampedusa

At least 26 people died on Wednesday when two boats carrying migrants sank off the Italian island of Lampedusa, with about 10 people remaining missing, according to the Italian coastguard and UN officials.

Around 60 people were rescued in the area, which the UN considers the world’s most dangerous migrant sea route, as it connects North Africa with Italy.

The boats had departed from Tripoli, Libya, earlier the same day. The coastguard reported that one vessel took on water, forcing passengers to transfer to the second boat, which eventually capsized.

According to the Italian Red Cross, survivors included 56 men and four women. UN migration agency spokesman Flavio Di Giacomo estimated that approximately 95 people were aboard the two boats in total, raising fears of up to 35 dead or missing.

Among the victims taken to Lampedusa’s morgue were a newborn baby, three children, two men and two women, according to ANSA news agency.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed condolences to the victims’ families and pledged to strengthen operations against smugglers.

The UN refugee agency reported that 675 migrant deaths have been recorded in the central Mediterranean this year.

By Wednesday, 38,263 migrants had reached Italian shores in 2025, a figure similar to last year but significantly lower than 2023, when nearly 100,000 had arrived by mid-August.