Lampedusa, Italy: A tragic shipwreck off the coast of Italy’s Lampedusa island has left at least 27 migrants dead and dozens more missing, following the capsizing of an overcrowded vessel in rough seas on August 13, 2025. The disaster occurred about 14 nautical miles (23 kilometers) from the island, after two boats departed from the Tripoli area in Libya. One of the vessels began taking on water, forcing passengers to transfer to the other boat, which later overturned.
Rescue teams managed to save 60 people, including 56 men and four women, who were brought to Lampedusa. Survivors were reported to be physically exhausted and deeply traumatized, though generally in stable health. Two of them were airlifted to medical facilities in Sicily for urgent care. Authorities believe between 92 and 97 people were originally on board, leaving approximately 35 still dead or missing.
The Italian Coast Guard led the rescue operation, deploying ships, an aircraft, and a helicopter to search the area. Efforts to locate the missing continued into Thursday, with UN agencies and humanitarian groups assisting.
Filippo Ungaro, spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Italy, warned that this tragedy is another stark reminder of the perils faced by those attempting the central Mediterranean crossing, where at least 675 people have died so far in 2025, a number that may now exceed 700. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi urged the international community to strengthen rescue operations, create safer migration routes, support transit countries, and tackle the root causes of forced migration.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her condolences to the victims’ families and reaffirmed her government’s commitment to combat people-smuggling networks and prevent irregular departures from North Africa.
The incident adds to the growing death toll in the Mediterranean, where overcrowded and unseaworthy boats continue to claim the lives of migrants seeking safety and better opportunities in Europe. Rescue agencies fear that without urgent international action, such tragedies will remain a grim reality.