In a devastating incident, three young sisters aged nine, 11, and 17 drowned in the Mediterranean Sea while attempting to migrate from Libya to Italy. Their bodies were retrieved by the German charity RESQSHIP from an overcrowded rubber boat that was battling waves reaching up to 1.5 meters, which had departed from Zuwara, Libya. Within hours of setting sail, the vessel began to take on water, leading to chaos and panic among the passengers, which included the sisters' mother and brother, and other vulnerable individuals such as pregnant women and a baby.
Barbara Sartore, the communications coordinator onboard the rescue ship Nadir, recounted the horrific moment when the submerged bodies were discovered. As survivors were being evacuated, Sartore heard screams pointing to the water inside the boat. During the nighttime turmoil, the three sisters, hidden beneath the surface, were tragically lost amidst the confusion and distress.
The survivors of the incident, many suffering from chemical burns due to a mixture of seawater and petrol onboard, received critical medical attention after being rescued. One individual who had fallen overboard remains missing. RESQSHIP reported that the tragedy illustrates the severe dangers faced by migrants, highlighting the urgent need for enhanced search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean. This year alone, over 700 lives have been lost in this perilous crossing from North Africa to Europe, emphasizing a dire need for international focus on migrant safety and prevention strategies.
