Over 60 Migrants Die in Central Mediterranean Due to Engine Failure

At least 60 maritime migrants have died in the Central Mediterranean after their rubber raft drifted for days without food or water. The NGO SOS Mediterranee reported that they rescued 25 survivors, all men from Subsaharan Africa, with assistance from the Italian coast guard. Two additional migrants were unconscious and medevaced to Sicily but did not recover.

The group had departed from Zawiya, Libya, and three days into their voyage, their raft’s engine broke down. Among the deceased were one woman and one child. The UN’s migration agency called for urgent action to strengthen maritime patrols and prevent further tragedies in the Mediterranean.

SOS Mediterranee’s rescue ship was arrested by Italian authorities in February, part of the government’s efforts to block NGO migrant rescue operations. The group questions the legality of these measures under Italy’s constitution and international maritime law. Currently, three rescue vessels are blocked from operating, raising concerns about the ability to save lives at sea.

Source .