On the night between Sunday, July 7th, and Monday, July 8th, 2024, a serious event happened in the Mediterranean Sea. This sea is between Europe and Africa. In the part of the sea between Sicily (an island that’s part of Italy) and Libya (a country in North Africa), a metal boat full of people was sinking.
Luckily, a fishing boat from Tunisia (another country in North Africa) saw the sinking boat. The fishermen on this boat quickly went to help. They managed to save 44 people from the sinking boat. These people are called migrants because they were leaving their home countries to try to live in Europe.
The people who were saved came from different countries in Africa. Some were from Gambia, some from Guinea, and some from Senegal. Interestingly, there were also people from Malaysia, which is very far away in Asia. Out of all these people, only one was a woman. The rest were men.
After the Tunisian fishing boat saved these 44 people, they called for more help. An Italian Coast Guard ship came to take the migrants. The Coast Guard is a group that helps keep people safe at sea. They took all 44 people to an island called Lampedusa. This island belongs to Italy and is often where migrants first arrive in Europe.
But there was a big problem. The people who were saved said that there were more people on their boat. At least three people were missing. This was very worrying news.
As soon as they heard about the missing people, the Italian authorities started looking for them. A special boat from a group called the Finance Guard (they usually look for people breaking money laws, but they also help with sea rescues) searched all night. The next day, the Coast Guard kept looking. They hoped to find the missing people alive, but it’s very hard to survive for long in the open sea.
The migrants told the Italian authorities more about their journey. They said they had left from a place called Sfax in Tunisia on Friday night, July 5th. This means they had been at sea for about two days before they were rescued. Each person had paid 800 euros for this dangerous trip. That’s a lot of money for most people, showing how desperate they were to reach Europe.
The boat they were on was made of metal, but it wasn’t a proper ship. It was too small and not made for long sea journeys. This is why it started to sink.
This wasn’t the only dangerous journey happening in the Mediterranean. Earlier in the same month, on July 2nd, another group of 47 migrants arrived in Lampedusa. This group had come from a different place – a city called Zawiya in Libya. They were from countries like Nigeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, and again, some were from Malaysia.
This second group told a very sad story. During their journey, a man from Ivory Coast fell into the sea. He didn’t have a life jacket, which is a special vest that helps people float in water. Even worse, he didn’t know how to swim. The other people on the boat heard him calling for help, but it was nighttime and very dark. They tried to find him and help, but they couldn’t see him in the water. After trying for some time, they had to continue their journey without him. This shows how dangerous these trips can be.
These stories help us understand the big risks that migrants take when they try to cross the Mediterranean Sea. They often travel on boats that are too small and not safe for long trips on the sea. The boats are usually very crowded, which makes them even more dangerous. Many people don’t have life jackets or other safety equipment.
The reasons why people take these risks are complex. Many are trying to escape from war, poverty, or other big problems in their home countries. They hope to find a better life in Europe. But the journey is extremely dangerous, and sadly, many people die trying to cross the sea.
The Italian authorities, along with coast guards and rescue teams from other European countries, work hard to save as many people as they can. They use ships, helicopters, and airplanes to look for boats in trouble. But the sea is very big, and it’s not always possible to find everyone who needs help.
These events have caused a lot of discussion in Europe about how to handle migration. Some people think more should be done to stop these dangerous boat trips. Others believe Europe should make it easier for people to come safely. It’s a difficult problem without easy answers. In the meantime, people keep trying to cross the sea, hoping for a better life, even though they know it’s very dangerous. And rescue teams keep working hard to save as many lives as they can.