At least 20 people have been confirmed dead and many more are feared missing after a migrant boat capsized in the Mediterranean Sea near Italy’s Lampedusa island on Wednesday, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
UNHCR spokesperson Filippo Ungaro expressed sorrow over what he described as yet another tragic shipwreck, saying on social media: “Deep anguish for the umpteenth shipwreck off the coast of Lampedusa. It looks to be 20 bodies found and as many missing.” The agency is currently assisting survivors.
Italian news agency Radio Radicale reported that the vessel was carrying 97 people when it overturned roughly 14 miles southwest of Lampedusa. While rescue operations are ongoing, details remain limited.
Save the Children Italy said among those feared lost is an 18-month-old girl. RaiRadio1 reported that between 12 and 17 people remain missing, while 60 survivors have been brought to safety on the island.
The capsized vessel was first spotted by an aerial patrol from Italy’s financial police. Migrants attempting to reach Italy from North Africa often risk the journey on unsafe and overcrowded boats via the central Mediterranean route—one of the deadliest migration routes globally.
According to the UNHCR, at least 675 migrants have died on this route so far in 2025. As of Wednesday, Italy’s Interior Ministry reports that 38,263 migrants have arrived on the country’s shores this year.
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