Eleven migrants died and 53 others were rescued after a boat carrying irregular migrants capsized approximately 50 nautical miles east of Malta on Sunday evening, in an operation involving Maltese and Italian authorities.
According to the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM), Malta Vessel Traffic Services received a distress notification from a fishing vessel regarding a boat carrying migrants that was in difficulty outside Maltese territorial waters. Information received indicated that several people had fallen overboard while attempting to reach the assisting fishing vessel.
The AFM said the Rescue Coordination Centre immediately instructed the fishing vessel and other vessels in the area to render assistance, while AFM assets were deployed to support the rescue operation. The Italian Coast Guard also took part in the coordinated effort.
A total of 53 migrants were rescued, while 11 bodies were recovered from the sea, the AFM said. All survivors received immediate medical attention, with one person requiring urgent treatment and being evacuated by an AFM air asset.
Officials said the vessel, carrying around 60 people, had departed from Libya. The Italian Coast Guard, which forms part of Italy's navy, dispatched a patrol vessel to the area at the request of Maltese authorities.
Following the rescue operation, the AFM said all rescued migrants and the recovered bodies were transferred to the relevant authorities upon arrival ashore for further assistance and the necessary procedures.
The tragedy is the latest to occur along the central Mediterranean migration route, one of the world's deadliest sea crossings. Libya remains one of the principal departure points for migrants attempting to reach Europe in overcrowded and often unseaworthy boats.
Thousands of migrants have lost their lives while attempting the crossing in recent years. The European Union has sought to reduce migration flows from Libya through agreements with the Libyan authorities, providing hundreds of millions of euros in support for border management and coast guard operations. Italy's migration strategy in the central Mediterranean has also relied heavily on cooperation with Libya, including training, equipment and support for the Libyan Coast Guard to intercept migrant vessels before they reach European waters.