Alex/Rose Cocker – 27th February 2023
At least 62 refugees died after their boat sank early on 26 February in stormy seas off Italy’s southern Calabria region. A rescue centre in the city of Crotone said 12 of the 62 victims were children. A further 33 were women, according to AGI (Agenzia Giornalistica Italia) news agency.
Italian coastguards said violent waves off Crotone broke up the overloaded vessel. One officer reported that a suspected people smuggler had been arrested by the security forces. Rescue workers told AFP (Agence France-Presse) that the vessel had been carrying “more than 200 people”.
This comes just days after a similar disaster killed 73 refugees off the coast of Libya.
