Deadliest Mediterranean migrant disasters

Since 2014, 26,924 migrants have died or disappeared in the Mediterranean, according to the International Organization for Migration.

(FILES) In this file photo taken on March 15, 2022 Migrants wearing life jackets sit in a dinghy as they illegally cross the English Channel from France to Britain. – More than 3,000 people died or went missing in the Mediterranean and Atlantic while trying to reach Europe last year — double the toll from 2020, the United Nations said on April 29, 2022. (Photo by Sameer Al-DOUMY / AFP)

The sinking of an overloaded migrant boat off Greece adds to the grim toll of migrants killed in the Mediterranean while trying to reach Europe.

Since 2014, 26,924 migrants have died or disappeared in the Mediterranean, according to the International Organization for Migration.

Mediterranean incidents

These are some of the deadliest incidents since 2010:

April 2015: up to 900 dead off Libya –
On April 19, 2015, up to 900 migrants died when a fishing trawler taking them to Europe rolled over off the coast of Libya after colliding with the cargo ship sent to its rescue.

Just 28 people were rescued.

Most of the victims of the worst disaster in the Mediterranean since World War II were from West African countries of Gambia, Mali and Senegal.

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The Tunisian captain of the boat was convicted of manslaughter and human trafficking and sentenced to 18 years in jail by an Italian court.

May 2011: 600 dead off Libya –
In May 2011, refugees arriving on the Italian island of Lampedusa said they had witnessed the sinking of another migrant ship in Libyan waters. The ship, which was transporting 600 people, was listed as missing.
April 2016: 500 dead off Italy –
Survivors said that there were around 500 people aboard an overcrowded boat that sank off Italy. Forty-one people were rescued after drifting for three days in another boat.
September 2014: 500 dead off Malta –
A boat travelling from Egypt with 500 people on board sank off southeastern Malta, after having been rammed by traffickers travelling on another ship.

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The tragedy came after the passengers, who were bound for Italy, had refused to transfer into a smaller boat.

Migrants

Only 10 people survived.

April 2015: 400 dead off Libya –
Nearly 400 migrants died when their rickety boat sank some 150 kilometres (90 miles) off the Libyan coast. A total of 144 people survived.
October 2013: over 360 dead off Lampedusa –
A fishing boat travelling from Libya with over 500 migrants caught fire and sank in the middle of the night, 550 metres (1,800 feet) from the coast of the Sicilian island of Lampedusa.

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Only 155 people survived — while 366 people, including children, were trapped in the hold and drowned.