Rescue operations continued on Monday following a shipwreck off the coast of Steccato di Cutro in Calabria, Italy, as authorities expanded the search for missing migrants. Overnight, the effort intensified with new vessels joining the mission. At least 62 bodies have been recovered and 81 individuals were rescued, amid fears that the number of victims may rise further as crews scan the area and canvass beaches and shoreline.
Search efforts are coordinated by the local harbor authorities with support from financial and public safety agencies. From early morning, divers and helicopters were deployed to widen the search zone. Survivors have estimated that the boat carried about 200 people, including nationals from Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Syria, who had departed from the Turkish coast several days earlier.
Three additional bodies were recovered Monday morning. One man was found on the beach near the wreck site, another was located at sea by a Coast Guard patrol boat roughly 400 meters offshore, and the third body was recovered at Le Castella, about 3.5 nautical miles from the crash site, according to local media coverage.
Among the fatalities reported so far, there were numerous children and a newborn among the 14 young victims; the interior ministry confirmed 33 women among the deceased.
Of those rescued, 19 people were hospitalized, while the rest were transferred to a reception center in the nearby town of Isola di Capo Rizzuto.
Initial findings indicate the vessel split in two after colliding with a rock, likely due to rough seas observed off Steccato di Cutro in the province of Crotone.
Authorities detained at least three individuals in connection with the incident, including a Turkish national who was on board and is suspected of involvement with a human trafficking operation that organized the voyage from Turkey despite adverse weather conditions.
Reports from doctors without borders indicate that psychological support was provided to survivors and that the boat departed four days ago with approximately 177 people on board.
As the search continued, political debate intensified over the handling of migrant rescue efforts. Critics pointed to the absence of NGO rescue vessels in the central Mediterranean following new policies enacted by the far-right government in Italy. MSF reported that the Geo Barents was blocked in the port of Ancona for alleged violations of the government decree governing NGO ships.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi responded by stating that migrants should not be sent to sea in such weather conditions.
President Sergio Mattarella called for a strong international commitment to address the root causes of migration, including conflict, poverty, and climate change, and urged the European Union to increase assistance to Italy in managing migration flows. He stressed that the EU should take direct responsibility for migration policies and support cooperation with countries of origin to improve conditions that push people to leave home in search of safety and opportunity.
In that vein, Mattarella emphasized the need for coordinated EU action to prevent human trafficking and to implement policies that support the development of origin countries, ensuring that young people have viable futures at home rather than being compelled to undertake dangerous journeys. He urged the union to lift the burden more equitably and to partner with Italy in addressing this humanitarian challenge across the Mediterranean.