At least 27 people have died after two migrant boats sank off the coast of Tunisia on Wednesday, according to reports from Tunisia’s state broadcaster. As per the sources of Leaders team, the vessels, carrying migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, went down near the Kerkennah Islands, about three miles off Alataya. Authorities rescued 83 individuals from the waters.
This tragedy is part of a broader pattern of recent disasters in the Mediterranean. The Red Cross reported that four shipwrecks in the past week alone have claimed 84 lives. Three of the vessels departed from Tunisia, while one left Libya.
According to the reports of Leaders team, the UN’s children’s agency, UNICEF, also highlighted the grim toll of Mediterranean crossings, announcing that over 2,200 people, including hundreds of children, died attempting the journey in 2024. Children represent one in five of all migrants traversing these waters, often fleeing violence and poverty.
One particularly heart-wrenching incident occurred on New Year’s Eve when a boat sank off Lampedusa, Italy, leaving over 20 people missing, including women and children. Among the seven survivors was an 8-year-old child whose mother remains unaccounted for.
Since 2014, more than 31,000 migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean, with most incidents occurring along the Central Mediterranean route from North Africa to Italy or Malta. Despite a decline in the number of migrants reaching Italy in 2024—66,317 arrivals compared to over 157,000 in 2023—the death toll remains alarmingly consistent.
Humanitarian organizations, including Alarm Phone and UNICEF, have condemned the ongoing loss of life. Alarm Phone noted, “Europe’s borders continue to kill,” while UNICEF urged governments to prioritize protecting children through coordinated search-and-rescue operations, safe disembarkation processes, and access to asylum services.
Italy’s government has introduced measures to reduce migration, including transferring some asylum seekers to processing centers in Albania. These policies have drawn criticism from human rights groups, who argue they undermine the EU’s commitment to asylum and migration rights.
As tragedies persist, calls for addressing the root causes of migration and ensuring the safety and rights of migrants grow louder, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive and humane solutions.
