Twenty people missing after boat sinks in Mediterranean Sea

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Twenty people are missing after a boat sank in the Mediterranean Sea on September 1, officials reported. Among the survivors are seven people who were rescued by a United Nations team, though many have lost family members.

"Twenty people are missing in the Mediterranean after a boat sank on September 1. The seven survivors rescued by our team in Lampedusa are in a difficult situation. Most of them have lost relatives," said Chiara Cardoletti, head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Italy.

Italian media reports indicate that 21 people, including three children, are still unaccounted for. The Italian coast guard, which was involved in the rescue efforts, confirmed that the migrants on board were Syrian nationals.

The tragedy adds to the growing number of migrants lost at sea. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), over 3,000 migrants are projected to disappear in 2023 while attempting the perilous Mediterranean crossing.

Despite the ongoing migrant crisis, the Italian Interior Ministry has reported a significant decrease in the number of refugees arriving by sea. Between December 1 and September 4, 2024, 43,610 refugees reached Italian shores, compared with 115,177 during the same period in 2023.