The German rescue charity RESQSHIP confirmed that despite the chaos during the rescue operation, survivors included the girls' mother and brother, along with pregnant women and a baby. Barbara Sartore, RESQSHIP's communications coordinator onboard the Nadir rescue ship, described the gruesome discovery of the sisters’ bodies while they were evacuating other survivors, amidst screams and panic as water flooded into the dangerously overcrowded boat.
Along with the tragedy of the sisters, many survivors faced severe chemical burns caused by a mixture of seawater and petrol inside the boat, and at least one individual who fell overboard remains missing. The Italian coastguard was notified and managed to evacuate additional survivors to Lampedusa later that day.
Katja Schnitzer, a crew member of the Nadir, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of the girls, emphasizing the unimaginable risks migrants face while seeking safety. According to UN agencies, over 700 individuals have died attempting to cross the central Mediterranean this year, highlighting an urgent need for improved search and rescue operations to enhance survivor safety.
The nationalities of the sisters and the other survivors have not been disclosed, but their tragic fate underscores ongoing migrant crises originating from North Africa and the desperate circumstances prompting individuals to undertake such dangerous crossings.
Along with the tragedy of the sisters, many survivors faced severe chemical burns caused by a mixture of seawater and petrol inside the boat, and at least one individual who fell overboard remains missing. The Italian coastguard was notified and managed to evacuate additional survivors to Lampedusa later that day.
Katja Schnitzer, a crew member of the Nadir, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of the girls, emphasizing the unimaginable risks migrants face while seeking safety. According to UN agencies, over 700 individuals have died attempting to cross the central Mediterranean this year, highlighting an urgent need for improved search and rescue operations to enhance survivor safety.
The nationalities of the sisters and the other survivors have not been disclosed, but their tragic fate underscores ongoing migrant crises originating from North Africa and the desperate circumstances prompting individuals to undertake such dangerous crossings.
