The International Organization for Migration (IOM) claimed on June 23, that 37 people were missing when their boat sank between Tunisia and the Italian island of Lampedusa, citing an account by four survivors of the tragedy.
The survivors, all from Sub-Saharan Africa, landed in Lampedusa late June 22 after being rescued from the shipwreck by another vessel, UN reports.
UNHCR spokesperson in Italy Chiara Cardoletti says, the shipwreck occurred on June 22, and at least one newborn infant is among those missing.
Flavio Di Giacomo, a spokeswoman for the UN migration organisation IOM claims, the ship left Sfax in Tunisia carrying 46 migrants from Cameroon, Burkina Faso, and Ivory Coast.
"Some survivors were taken to Lampedusa, and others were brought back to Tunisia," he said and clarified that the boat sank due to severe winds and seas.
"Seven women and a minor were among those who went missing. All of the survivors are adult men. Since November, we have noticed more arrivals of migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa using the Tunisian route," he added.
Lampedusa, an island in southern Italy, is a major entrance site for migrants crossing the Mediterranean. UNHCR reports that more over 46,000 migrants landed there in 2022, out of a total of 105,000 in Italy.
This year has seen an increase in migration across the Mediterranean from Tunisia, after a crackdown on illegal migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa and accusations of racial attacks during an economic crisis.
A judicial official said on June 22 that at least 12 African migrants were missing and three perished when three boats sank off the coast of Tunisia, while the country's coastguard rescued 152 others.
On June 11, the President of Tunisia, Kais Said, met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to discuss measures to prevent the influx of refugees and migrants from reaching Europe,as Daryo reported.
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