Wed Mar 19 10:39:29 UTC 2025: ## Mediterranean Migrant Boat Capsizes Near Lampedusa; Six Dead, 40 Missing
**Lampedusa, Italy –** A tragic migrant boat capsizing near the Italian island of Lampedusa has claimed the lives of six people and left 40 others missing, according to the UNHCR. The inflatable dinghy, carrying 56 migrants and refugees from Ivory Coast, Mali, The Gambia, and Cameroon, departed from Tunisia on Monday.
Ten survivors have been rescued by the Italian Coast Guard, who continue their search for the missing. Survivors reported that some passengers fell overboard in rough seas. Separately, approximately 40 other migrants arrived safely on Lampedusa after making the perilous journey from Sfax, Tunisia, in metal boats.
This incident marks the latest in a series of deadly crossings across the Mediterranean. The UNHCR representative Chiara Cardoletti lamented the continuing loss of life, highlighting the precarious situation faced by migrants attempting this dangerous journey. Five landings on Lampedusa on Tuesday alone brought an additional 213 migrants to the island, pushing the reception centre’s capacity to its limits.
Italy’s Ministry of the Interior reports a total of 8,743 migrant arrivals in the country so far this year, slightly exceeding the number during the same period last year. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) provides a stark reminder of the human cost of these perilous crossings, noting that over 31,500 people have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean since 2014, with 246 deaths recorded already this year. The ongoing search for survivors continues.
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