ROME – On Thursday, the U.N. children’s agency emphasized the need for governments to prioritize the protection of migrant children, especially in light of a recent tragic shipwreck in the Mediterranean that left approximately 20 individuals unaccounted for. This incident adds to the already distressing yearly statistics concerning migrant fatalities at sea.
Among the seven survivors rescued from the New Year’s Eve incident near Lampedusa was an 8-year-old girl, whose mother remains missing according to UNICEF’s reports. The organization highlighted another heartbreaking case from the previous month when an 11-year-old girl was found adrift off the same island; she was assumed to be the sole survivor of a migrant vessel that set off from Sfax, Tunisia, with around 45 people aboard.
The International Organization for Migration’s database tracking missing migrants indicates that in 2024, there are 2,275 individuals whose whereabouts are unknown in the Mediterranean Sea. This grim statistic contributes to a significant total of 31,180 people reported missing since 2014. A staggering 24,466 of these individuals are thought to have lost their lives while attempting the dangerous central Mediterranean route, often exploited by smugglers operating out of Libya and Tunisia in their efforts to transport vulnerable individuals toward Italy.
In its statement, UNICEF urged nations to uphold their responsibilities under international law concerning refugees, calling for immediate action towards safeguarding children. The agency asserted the necessity for governments to establish safe and lawful routes for protection and family reunification, as well as conducting coordinated search and rescue missions, providing secure disembarkation options, community-based accommodation, and access to asylum services.
Under the leadership of Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, Italy has made efforts to reduce migrant arrivals by intensifying its crackdown on smuggling operations and attempting to deter future refugees by implying that asylum requests might be processed in Albania. According to statistics from the Interior Ministry, last year saw 66,317 migrants reach Italy via boats, which is less than half of those who arrived the previous year.
