Amidst an ocean of despair, the loss of the sisters underscores the severe dangers faced by migrants navigating the perilous Mediterranean route.
Three young sisters have drowned in a migrant boat incident in the central Mediterranean, according to a report from a German rescue charity, RESQSHIP. The tragedy unfolded when waves reaching heights of 1.5 meters overwhelmed the overcrowded rubber dinghy, which had set sail from Zuwara, Libya, filled with approximately 65 people, including the sisters' mother and brother, and pregnant women.
The RESQSHIP charity narrated the harrowing moments when the bodies of the sisters, aged nine, 11, and 17, were discovered as survivors were being evacuated. Barbara Sartore, a communications officer aboard the rescue ship Nadir, recounts the chaos as screams echoed in the darkness of the waterlogged boat, with survivors unaware of the tragedy unfolding below. She stated, "The boat was dangerously overcrowded, it was pitch-dark, and people were panicking."
In addition to the sisters' loss, many survivors suffered from severe chemical burns due to the mixture of seawater and petrol within the boat. One individual is still reported missing following an earlier fall overboard. The Italian coastguard successfully evacuated 14 people, transporting them to Lampedusa, while the rest were brought by the rescue ship.
Katja Schnitzer, a crew member on the rescue boat, expressed the horror of the situation, stating, "What happened to the three sisters is unimaginable, as is the danger that people on the move face in search of safety." This tragic event adds to an alarming statistic, with over 700 people having perished attempting the journey across the central Mediterranean this year alone. UN agencies are calling for increased search and rescue efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of survivors upon disembarking.
Three young sisters have drowned in a migrant boat incident in the central Mediterranean, according to a report from a German rescue charity, RESQSHIP. The tragedy unfolded when waves reaching heights of 1.5 meters overwhelmed the overcrowded rubber dinghy, which had set sail from Zuwara, Libya, filled with approximately 65 people, including the sisters' mother and brother, and pregnant women.
The RESQSHIP charity narrated the harrowing moments when the bodies of the sisters, aged nine, 11, and 17, were discovered as survivors were being evacuated. Barbara Sartore, a communications officer aboard the rescue ship Nadir, recounts the chaos as screams echoed in the darkness of the waterlogged boat, with survivors unaware of the tragedy unfolding below. She stated, "The boat was dangerously overcrowded, it was pitch-dark, and people were panicking."
In addition to the sisters' loss, many survivors suffered from severe chemical burns due to the mixture of seawater and petrol within the boat. One individual is still reported missing following an earlier fall overboard. The Italian coastguard successfully evacuated 14 people, transporting them to Lampedusa, while the rest were brought by the rescue ship.
Katja Schnitzer, a crew member on the rescue boat, expressed the horror of the situation, stating, "What happened to the three sisters is unimaginable, as is the danger that people on the move face in search of safety." This tragic event adds to an alarming statistic, with over 700 people having perished attempting the journey across the central Mediterranean this year alone. UN agencies are calling for increased search and rescue efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of survivors upon disembarking.
