Two merchant vessels near the Italian coast rescued 32 survivors and recovered the bodies of two migrants from a boat attempting to cross from Libya to Europe over the Easter weekend. According to survivors, the original boat carried 105 passengers, with 71 reported lost at sea. The victims were transferred to an Italian coast guard patrol boat and taken to the island of Lampedusa, as reported by rescue groups Mediterranea Saving Humans and Sea-Watch.

The incident highlights the ongoing dangers faced by migrants crossing the Mediterranean, especially amid bad weather conditions that have limited departures from North Africa this year. The International Organization for Migration estimates that at least 683 people have died in the central Mediterranean so far in 2024, marking one of the deadliest years since 2014.