Five Migrants Killed During Rescue Operation off Malta

The Maltese Armed Forces announced that five migrants, including a woman, died today, Friday, when their boat capsized during a rescue operation off the coast of Malta. Eight others were injured and transferred to the hospital, two of whom had swallowed a significant amount of seawater and fuel. Colonel Edric Zahra, the deputy commander of the armed forces, told reporters that the incident occurred around noon when the eight-meter-long boat was approximately 6.5 kilometers south of Malta. Authorities rescued 21 migrants and transported them to a migrant center. They are believed to be from Syria, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Egypt. The Mediterranean routes from North Africa to Italy or Malta are among the most dangerous migration paths in the world. The International Organization for Migration states that nearly 2,500 migrants lost their lives or went missing on those routes last year. The vast majority of migrants head to Italy. Malta's Minister of Internal Affairs Byron Camilleri said in parliament in January that the armed forces rescued 380 migrants at sea last year.