The treacherous waters of the Mediterranean Sunday claimed the lives of at least 31 migrants in two shipwrecks off the shores of the Italian island of Lampedusa.
Survivors from one boat revealed that around 28 people were lost at sea, while another three are reported missing from the second vessel.
Both of these rickety iron boats, believed to have set off from Tunisia's Sfax port last Thursday, succumbed to the wrath of stormy weather on Saturday, leaving behind heartbreak and sorrow.
Italy's coast guard responded to the distress calls, saving 57 survivors from the treacherous waves and recovering the lifeless bodies of a woman and a minor.
The daring rescue operations were caught on camera.
Amid colossal waves, the coast guard vessel soared and plunged, carrying people to safety as if riding a roller coaster, while others clung to each other in a desperate human chain, and some attempted to climb aboard the vessel, battling the relentless swell.
According to Flavio Di Giacomo, the press officer for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), cultural mediators on the scene have confirmed that "at least 31 people" are still unaccounted for after speaking with the survivors pulled from the turbulent sea.
An investigation into the shipwrecks has been launched on the nearby Italian island of Sicily, in Agrigento. Emanuele Ricifari, the chief of police in Agrigento, voiced his dismay at the ruthless traffickers who would have been well aware of the impending bad weather.
He condemned their actions, saying: "Whoever allowed them, or forced them, to leave with this sea is an unscrupulous criminal lunatic."
Meanwhile, amid the continued stormy weather, a courageous alpine rescue team and the air force have joined forces, embarking on a perilous mission to lift to safety the migrants stranded on the rocky cliffs of Lampedusa's coastline.
Initial reports suggested there were 20 individuals in distress, but the Sicilian Alpine Rescue (CNSAS) now believes there may be as many as 40 migrants, trapped since late Friday when their ill-fated boat was violently tossed onto the unforgiving rocks by fierce winds.
The Red Cross has provided the desperate souls with food, water, clothes and emergency thermal blankets.
However, the high waves have thwarted the coast guard's efforts to reach them by sea, leading to the deployment of helicopters for the daring rescue operations.
The first group of survivors to be winched up into the helicopter and taken to safety were women.
This latest tragedy serves as a grim reminder of the perilous Central Mediterranean migrant crossing from North Africa to Europe, known to be the world's deadliest route.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that over 1,800 people have lost their lives attempting this treacherous journey so far this year, a staggering 900 more than the previous year.
This figure is likely an underestimation, as many shipwrecks go unreported, and countless lives are lost without a trace.
The perilous Tunisian route, in particular, has become increasingly dangerous, as sub-Saharan migrants are being packed into iron boats, far cheaper than their seaworthy counterparts.
These vessels, notorious for their unseaworthiness, are prone to breaking apart and sinking, leaving the desperate migrants at the mercy of the unforgiving sea.
To add to their misery, traffickers often strip the boats of their engines at sea, intending to reuse them for more profit, leaving the migrants adrift in the vast ocean.
This year alone, almost 92,000 migrants have arrived on Italy's shores, a staggering number that surpasses the previous year's figures by twofold.
The influx highlights the pressing need for comprehensive and humane solutions to address the plight of those seeking refuge and better lives.
