Tragic Shipwreck in Ionian Sea: Coast Guard Recovers 14 More Bodies

The Italian coast guard recovered 14 more bodies from last week's shipwreck, totaling 34 known victims. The motorboat had capsized after catching fire, with 75 people onboard from Turkey. More than 800 people have died or are presumed dead crossing the central Mediterranean this year.

The Italian coast guard on Friday recovered 14 more bodies from last week's tragic shipwreck in the Ionian Sea, off the southern Italian coastline, bringing the total number of known victims to 34. Dozens more are still missing and presumed dead.

The recovered bodies were being transported to a port in Calabria. Three coast guard ships were actively participating in the air-and-sea search, approximately 190 kilometers (120 miles) from the shore.

Survivors reported that the motorboat caught fire and capsized off the Italian coast overnight last Sunday, about eight days after departing from Turkey. The vessel carried around 75 people from Iran, Syria, and Iraq, according to reports from the UN refugee agency and other UN organizations. Eleven survivors are currently being treated on shore. The recent fatalities bring the toll to over 800 people who have died or gone missing crossing the central Mediterranean this year, averaging five deaths per day. Humanitarian groups condemn these deaths as evidence of the catastrophic failure of European migration policy.

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