At Least 11 Dead After Migrant Boat Capsizes off Malta

At least 11 people have died after a migrant boat capsized in waters off Malta, according to the charity group Sea-Watch. The organization reported on Monday that approximately 50 others were rescued at sea by a fishing vessel operating in the area.

The incident unfolded on Sunday, when the Italian coastguard confirmed that the vessel had departed from Libya carrying around 60 people. The boat overturned about 45 nautical miles east-southeast of Malta. In response, Rome dispatched a patrol boat to the scene, which initially recovered 10 bodies.

Later, Sea-Watch updated the death toll to at least 11, stating on the social media platform X that 48 survivors had been rescued by a fishing vessel named Tuncay Sagun 2. The charity did not immediately provide details on the nationalities of those on board, but such boats typically carry migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, Bangladesh, and Syria.

As the summer season approaches, migrant departures along the North Africa-to-Europe route usually increase. Italy, Malta, and Greece remain the nearest landing points for those attempting the perilous Mediterranean crossing, often on unseaworthy, overcrowded vessels operated by smugglers.

According to the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM), at least 827 people have died or gone missing so far this year while attempting to cross the central Mediterranean, including 14 children. The central Mediterranean route is consistently ranked as one of the deadliest migration corridors in the world.

In Italy, the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has taken a hard line against irregular arrivals, approving measures aimed at curbing human trafficking and making it more difficult for migrants to obtain asylum. These policies have included stricter detention rules for rescue ships and reduced port access for charity-operated vessels.

Interior ministry data shows that some 12,000 people have disembarked in Italy so far in 2026 — less than half the nearly 25,000 recorded during the same period in 2025. Despite the decrease in arrivals, humanitarian organizations warn that dangerous crossings continue unabated, and call for more state-led search-and-rescue operations to prevent further loss of life.

Our Pashto-Dari Website

  Donate Here