In a tragic incident off the coast of Lampedusa, a dinghy carrying migrants capsized, resulting in the death of an 18-year-old woman from Gambia. The harrowing ordeal unfolded in the Maltese search-and-rescue area, approximately 30 miles southwest of Lampedusa, between April 3 and April 4, 2024.
Despite the efforts of the Lampedusa coastguard, which swiftly responded to the distress call, the dinghy sank, leading to the loss of life. Among the 45 migrants who survived the shipwreck, testimonies revealed that the victim was an 18-year-old woman hailing from Gambia.
Italian military personnel intervened to rescue the survivors and retrieve the woman’s body, subsequently disembarking them at the Favarolo pier in Lampedusa, as reported by ANSA.
The tragedy occurred amidst a backdrop of escalating migrant arrivals in the region. Before the shipwreck, nearly 50 migrants had landed in Lampedusa aboard an 8-meter dinghy from Sfax, Tunisia. Intercepted by a patrol boat of Italy’s financial guard, the vessel carried individuals from Sudan and Guinea, including eight women and two minors.
Report indicates that the migrants had paid significant sums, equivalent to 1,500 Tunisian dinars (approximately 478 dollars), for the perilous journey across the Mediterranean. The influx of migrants to Lampedusa has been persistent, with over 500 arrivals documented recently. Among the arrivals are individuals from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Guinea, Gambia, Mali, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Chad, and Somalia, reflecting the diverse range of nationalities seeking refuge and opportunity in Europe.
As of April 4, the Lampedusa hotspot accommodated 980 migrants, including 40 unaccompanied minors. Plans are underway to transfer these minors to the Italian mainland in the coming days as authorities grapple with the ongoing humanitarian crisis unfolding on the shores of Lampedusa.