At least three people, including two young children, have died during a desperate attempt to cross the Mediterranean from Libya to Italy, according to the German humanitarian organization RESQSHIP.
The victims were among a group of migrants who set out from the western Libyan port of Zawiya last Wednesday aboard an overcrowded rubber dinghy.
Less than 24 hours into the journey, the boat’s engine failed, leaving the passengers stranded at sea, adrift and exposed to the scorching sun, saltwater, and leaking fuel. The vessel was eventually spotted by a European border surveillance aircraft south of the Italian island of Lampedusa, where RESQSHIP’s crew conducted the rescue.
By the time help arrived on Saturday, two children, aged three and four, were already dead. A rescue medic from the organization, identified only as Rania, said the children likely died from extreme dehydration, having been stranded for days without access to clean water or shelter.
A third man, found unconscious, could not be revived despite repeated attempts and was declared dead shortly after the rescue. Survivors also reported that another passenger had drowned the day before after falling overboard.
A total of 59 people were rescued from the boat, many of whom were suffering from severe burns caused by prolonged exposure to saltwater mixed with fuel inside the boat. Two children and four adults in critical condition were urgently evacuated by the Italian coast guard for emergency treatment.
RESQSHIP confirmed that the passengers had been at sea for at least three days with no functioning motor or guidance system. The tragedy once again casts a harsh light on Libya’s ongoing role as a departure point for dangerous and often deadly migrant crossings, in a country where lawlessness and human trafficking remain deeply entrenched.
