“Each particular person looking for a greater life deserves security and dignity,” UN Secretary-Normal António Guterres mentioned. “We’d like protected, authorized routes for migrants and refugees.”

The UN refugee company (UNCHR) and the Worldwide Group for Migration (IOM), in a joint assertion, expressed condolences for the victims and referred to as on international locations to extend assets and capabilities to successfully meet their obligations.

Dying toll might rise

As of Sunday night, 45 lifeless our bodies had been recovered, however ongoing search and rescue groups concern the demise toll may very well be worse, the companies mentioned. Information experiences mentioned a new child and young children have been among the many useless.

Reviews point out that at the very least 170 folks have been on board the small vessel, together with kids and households. The UN refugee company mentioned that data acquired reveals that there could also be as many as 80 survivors. A few of them have been hospitalized for remedy.

‘Unacceptable horrors’

“It’s unacceptable to witness such horrors, with households and kids entrusted to unseaworthy boats,” mentioned Chiara Cardoletti, the UNHCR consultant for Italy, the Holy See and San Marino. “This tragedy should immediate us to behave and act now.”

The boat had left Turkey, with many passengers coming from Afghanistan and Pakistan. In 2022, folks from Turkey accounted for round 15 per cent of complete arrivals by sea in Italy, UNHCR mentioned, noting that just about half of the folks arriving alongside this route have been folks fleeing Afghanistan.

‘Inadequate’ rescue capacities

The companies mentioned European Union mechanisms for rescue operations are “urgently wanted”.

To keep away from tragedies like this, Ms. Cardoletti mentioned, it’s “extra essential than ever earlier than to strengthen the rescue capability, which remains to be inadequate”.

Laurence Hart, director of the IOM Coordination Workplace for the Mediterranean, mentioned this shipwreck demonstrates how the phenomenon of migration by sea should be tackled by all European nations.

New strategy wanted

This requires humanitarian assist and adopting an strategy that considers the a number of drivers which can be inflicting folks to flee, she mentioned.

The IOM Lacking Migrants Challenge experiences that at the very least 220 folks, together with those that perished on Sunday, have died or gone lacking alongside the central Mediterranean routein 2023.