Italian Coast Guard Finds 19 Migrants Dead And Rescues 58 From Dinghy Off Lampedusa

ROME — Nineteen group were recovered dormant and 58 rescued live by nan Italian seashore guard, which intercepted a dinghy filled pinch migrants that was successful distress astir 80 nautical miles from nan confederate Italian land of Lampedusa connected Tuesday night.

The Italian seashore defender operated successful nan Libyan hunt and rescue area amid unsmooth upwind conditions, a spokesperson said connected Wednesday.

“We were nan only 1 capable to intervene, arsenic location were nary different ships aliases rescue teams successful nan area. Sea conditions were beautiful extreme, pinch waves of much than 6-7 meters (20-23 feet),” said seashore defender spokesperson Roberto D’Arrigo.

D’Arrigo said nan migrants had astir apt departed from Libya and nan victims apt died of hypothermia, but nan origin of nan deaths still request to beryllium verified.

The survivors were brought to Lampedusa aft a 10-hour travel and are now successful nan attraction of section wellness services, nan seashore defender said.

The mini land of Lampedusa is nan main introduction constituent to Europe for migrants crossing nan Mediterranean Sea from North Africa, pinch thousands dying during nan perilous journey.

Most of nan deaths person been attributed to mini boats mounting disconnected from nan coasts of Tunisia and Libya.

The astir caller deadly shipwreck disconnected Lampedusa happened successful August past year, erstwhile a vessel carrying astir 100 migrants capsized successful world waters, sidesplitting astatine slightest 26 people.