Death toll at 62 in Italy migrant tragedy, dozens missing

STECCATO DI CUTRO, Italy (AP) — The death toll rose to 62 in the migrant tragedy off Italy's southern coast after rescue crews recovered three more bodies on Monday, driving home once again the desperate and dangerous boat crossings of people seeking to reach Europe.

Dozens more were believed to be missing.

Children were among the dead after a wooden boat broke up in stormy seas on the reefs near the Calabrian coast on Sunday. At least 80 people survived, but more were feared dead given survivor reports that the boat, which set off from Turkey last week, had carried about 170 people.

The beach at Steccato di Cutro, on Calabria's Ionian coast, was littered with the splintered remains of the 20-meter (65-foot) boat as well as the belongings the migrants had brought with them, including a toddler's tiny pink sneaker and a yellow plastic pencil case decorated with pandas.

There were only a few life jackets scattered amid the debris.

The UN and Doctors Without Borders, which had crews on the scene, said many of the victims were Afghans, including members of large families, as well as Pakistanis and Iraqis. Afghans were the second top nationality to seek asylum in the European Union last year, and have increasingly fled the spiralling security, humanitarian and economic troubles that followed the Taliban takeover in August 2021.

On Monday, two coast guard vessels searched the seas north to south off Steccato di Cutro while a helicopter flew overhead and a four-wheel vehicle patrolled the beach. A strong wind whipped the seas that still churned up splinters of the boat, gas tanks, food containers and shoes.

Firefighters confirmed three more bodies had been recovered Monday morning, but held out little hope for finding survivors.

“I think no, because the sea conditions are too difficult,” said provincial fire Commander Roberto Fasano. “But we can never abandon this hope.”

Italy's Sky TG24 said at least three people had been detained on suspicion they helped organise the trip from Izmir, Turkey.

Italy is a prime destination for migrant smugglers, especially for traffickers launching boats from Libyan shores, but also from Turkey. According to UN figures, arrivals from the Turkish route accounted for 15 per cent of the 105,000 migrants who arrived on Italian shores last year, with nearly half of those fleeing from Afghanistan.

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