A migrant vessel capsized today in international waters off Lampedusa island, resulting in a large loss of life. Italian authorities report the incident happened about 23 km (14 miles) southwest of the island.
A law enforcement aircraft first spotted the overturned boat with bodies floating nearby, prompting an urgent rescue mission.
At least 20 bodies have been recovered so far, with a similar number still missing. Search and recovery operations are continuing.
Survivors say the group initially numbered between 92 and 97 people who departed from the Tripoli area in Libya aboard two boats.
When one began taking on water, passengers were transferred to the other—a fiberglass vessel that soon capsized in rough seas due to overcrowding.
Roughly 60 people, including 56 men and four women, survived and were brought to Lampedusa.
Most survivors were in stable condition, though some required hospital care.
According to UNHCR, 675 people have died in 2025 attempting the dangerous central Mediterranean crossing, a route long associated with deadly shipwrecks.
Authorities stress the need to curb illegal sea departures and dismantle smuggling networks responsible for sending overcrowded and unsafe boats to sea.