IOM Fears Mass Migrant Deaths in Mediterranean Shipwrecks

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has expressed fears of mass migrant deaths in the Mediterranean, following reports of shipwrecks in the past ten days amid adverse weather conditions.

Three deaths have been confirmed in Lampedusa, Italy, including twin girls, after a search and rescue operation. Survivors reported that another vessel is missing.

The IOM is attempting to verify a report of a shipwreck with more than 50 people on board near Malta. Additionally, at least 51 people are presumed dead after a shipwreck off Tobruk, Libya.

The IOM condemns the trafficking of migrants on unseaworthy vessels, especially during storms. In 2023, at least 1,340 people died in the central Mediterranean.