Eleven people lost their lives after a boat carrying irregular migrants capsized off the coast of Malta in the Mediterranean, while 48 others who fell into the sea were rescued by Turkish fishermen operating in the area.
According to reports in the Italian media, citing sources from the Italian Coast Guard, the vessel carrying approximately 60 irregular migrants overturned around 45 to 50 nautical miles south of Malta.
The crew of the “Tuncay Sagun 2,” a vessel belonging to the Istanbul-based shipping company Group Sagun, responded to a distress call from a migrant boat in international waters.
The boat was reportedly taking on water when the crew intervened, safely bringing 48 people aboard and providing first aid as well as basic necessities.
According to media, all of the rescued migrants were Somali nationals.
Media reports said the Turkish vessel was carrying fishermen from the northwestern Aegean districts of Bandırma and Erdek in Balıkesir province, who were in Maltese waters for the bluefin tuna fishing season.
Footage recorded by the Turkish fishermen showed migrants in distress in the water as rescuers threw ropes and lines to pull them aboard their boats.
Authorities in Malta reportedly requested assistance from the Italian Coast Guard following the incident. Italian rescue teams dispatched to the area recovered the bodies of 10 victims from the sea and launched a search operation to locate those still missing.
The Mediterranean remains one of the world’s deadliest migration routes for people attempting to reach Europe from Africa. Search-and-rescue operations are frequently carried out along the maritime corridor between Malta, Italy and Libya, where migrant boat disasters occur on a regular basis.
