One dead, two missing in migrant shipwreck off Italy’s Lampedusa — Ansa

Italy’s coast guard on Saturday found one person dead following a migrant shipwreck off the southern Italian island of Lampedusa, Ansa news agency reported, as searches were still ongoing for two people said to be missing.

Ansa said the coast guard rescued 43 people and recovered the body of what appeared to be a minor following the accident, which happened some 23 miles south-west Lampedusa.

Survivors told authorities a total of 46 people had embarked in the journey.

Over 2,000 people have arrived in Lampedusa in the last few days after being rescued at sea by Italian patrol boats and NGO groups, as strong winds further complicate the situation around the island.

Due to rough seas, authorities have not yet been able to rescue a group of some 20 migrants who are stuck on the rocks where their boat crashed on Friday evening, local media said.

On Saturday, NGO group Open Arms published on social media platform X a video of their rescue boat being swept along by the wind as it headed to the southern port of Brindisi with 199 migrants onboard.

“After days adrift at sea, they are forced to face prohibitive marine weather conditions,” Open Arms said, as it complained about the Italian government’s policy of assigning landing ports distant from the rescue areas.

Italy has seen around 92,000 migrant arrivals by sea so far this year, interior ministry data showed, compared to 42,600 in the same period in 2022.