Seven rescued, 20 missing after migration from Libya

Reuters reports that at least 20 people are missing following a 31st December boat sinking incident en-route to Italy, as part of an attempt at migration from Libya.

This was confirmed by Filippo Mannino, mayor of the Italian island of Lampedusa on Wednesday 1st January.

Amongst those saved was an 8-year-old Syrian child, hoping to join his father in Germany.

His mother, who was accompanying him has unfortunately not been seen since Tuesday, when the boat reportedly capsized. The missing reportedly included 4 other women and 3 children.

Mannino described ‘heartbreak’ at the situation. Though despite the upsetting news of lives potentially lost, seven individuals were rescued.

This incident highlights the perilous journey many people seeking refuge face along the central Mediterranean migration route, which is notorious for its high fatality rate, with almost 24,500 deaths or disappearances since 2014.

A high volume of irregular migration from Libya and Tunisia contributes to this humanitarian crisis.

Italian and Spanish governments have sought to reduce such migrant departures, in attempt to prevent similar maritime tragedies from occurring, and also following a recognition of overwhelmed migrant support services.

There has also been effort from authorities within the countries of departure, such as an incident earlier this week on Monday 30th December, where Tunisian authorities detained 4 individuals suspected of organising and facilitating a journey for the purpose of illegal migration.

As efforts to curtail irregular migration are put into place, the international community must also prioritise human dignity to prevent further loss of life on these perilous journeys.

Reuters / Middle East Monitor