March 24, 2025 02:06 am (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
Lower representation in Parliament will weaken states' political strength: Stalin at delimitation meeting | Lower representation in Parliament will weaken states' political strength: Stalin at delimitation meeting | MK Stalin hosts mega multi-state meeting on delimitation in Chennai, BJP calls it drama | Cash pile accused Justice Yashwant Varma was named in CBI's FIR for alleged corruption, SC junked it later | London: Heathrow Airport resumes operation after substation fire causes power disruption | Bangladesh interim government not planning to ban Sheikh Hasina's Awami League | Fire at Delhi HC judge's house leads to recovery of unaccounted cash, SC collegium acts | Indian researcher Badar Khan Suri won't be deported from US over alleged Hamas link, orders judge | Donald Trump signs order to start dismantling US Education Department | Finland is world's happiest country, India slightly improves its happiness quotient with 118th position
Mediterranean
Image: IOM/Hussein Ben Mosa

Save lives, UN agencies appeal, after yet another tragedy in the Mediterranean

| @indiablooms | Aug 11, 2023, at 10:03 pm

Three UN agencies on Thursday appealed for greater access to safe and regular pathways for migration and asylum in the European Union after another deadly shipwreck claimed dozens of lives in the Mediterranean.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM); the UN refugee agency, UNCHR; and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) also called for coordinated search and rescue mechanisms.

The tragedy occurred between Thursday 3 August and Friday 4 August, and to date, only four survivors have been rescued – all by a merchant vessel. 

The survivors, brought to Lampedusa by the Italian Coast Guard, reported that they were among a group of 45 people, of whom 41 remain missing, including three children.

IOM, UNHCR and UNICEF are present in Lampedusa to support the authorities in both the disembarkation and initial reception phases to ensure that people seeking international protection can apply for it and that those with special needs are promptly identified.

Growing death toll

The numbers add to the growing death toll of shipwrecks in the Central Mediterranean. 

According to IOM’s Missing Migrants Project, more than 1,800 people have been reported dead or missing along the Central Mediterranean route so far in 2023. This route accounts for more than 75 per cent of the victims in the entire Mediterranean over the past 10 years.

Total disregard for lives

The ill-fated vessel – an iron barge – had embarked from Sfax, Tunisia, but its journey was cut short by the unforgiving waves.

Dangerous weather conditions make crossings in iron vessels particularly perilous, the UN agencies said.

Tweet URL

Such tragedies also highlight smugglers’ total disregard for the lives of migrants and refugees making these journeys, the UN agencies added, noting that only a few days ago, a pregnant mother and a child lost their lives off Lampedusa.

Address root causes

Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, called for better management of migration and refugee flows.

In a post on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, he urged action to address the root causes, responses in transit countries, trafficking and safe routes, for those on the move.

But tragedies like the Mediterranean shipwreck will happen again unless states invest more in organized, coordinated rescue at sea, he said.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Close menu