More than 40 migrants died this Sunday following the sinking of his vessel off the coast of Italy, not far from the Calabrian town of Crotone, according to initial reports.
“So far, 80 people have been recovered alive, some of whom managed to reach the shore after the shipwreck, and 43 bodies have been found,” said a coast guard statement.
For his part, Roberto Occhiuto, president of the Calabria Region, issued a statement in which he spoke of “Dozens and dozens of drowned, including children, many missing.” And he says that “Calabria is in mourning for this terrible tragedy”.
According to rescuers, the boat was carrying about 120 people and collided with some rocks a few meters from the shore. The firefighters, meanwhile, specify that there were “more than 200 people” on board.
In the images released by the Italian police, pieces of wood can be seen scattered on the beach, where the lifeguards went while rescuers awaited their transfer to a reception centre.
The head of government, Giorgia Meloni, leader of the Brothers of Italy (Fdi, far right), expressed in a statement her “profound pain” and affirmed that it is “criminal to send a boat just 20 meters into the sea with 200 people on board and with bad weather forecasts”.
“The government is committed to preventing departures and this type of tragedies and will continue to do so by asking, above all, for the maximum collaboration of the States of departure and of origin”, he assured.
This new shipwreck comes just a few days after the Italian Parliament adopted the controversial new rules on the rescue of migrants promoted by the government dominated by the extreme right.
Meloni came to power in October with a coalition after promising to reduce immigration to Italy.
The new law requires relief vessels to carry out only one rescue per sea voyage, which critics say increases the risk of death in the central Mediterranean, considered the world’s most dangerous journey for migrants.
Source: Clarin
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