Shipwreck in the Mediterranean Sea. pregnant woman dead, 22 missing, according to MSF.

A pregnant woman has died and at least 22 people, including children, are missing after a ship capsized in the central Mediterranean, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said on Tuesday (June 28).

A humanitarian NGO managed to save 71 people, including a four-month-old baby, using its Geo Barents ambulance ship when this ship sank off the coast of Libya on Monday. «Yesterday we experienced our worst nightmare come trueteam boss Riccardo Gatti said in a statement. The self-made boat was sinking and many people were already in the water when the Geo Barents arrived on the scene after a distress call.

“The Survivors Are Exhausted”

The pregnant woman was taken on board but did not survive despite desperate attempts to save her, MSF said. At least 22 people are also missing, according to information gathered from survivors. Two women said they lost their children at sea, and another young woman lost her baby brother. The infant was resuscitated on board before being medically evacuated to Malta with the mother, while the other survivors remained on board the Geo Barents.

«The survivors were exhausted, many had taken large amounts of seawater, and some were suffering from hypothermia after spending long hours in the water.explained Stephanie Hofstetter, MSF’s medical team leader. «At least 10 people, mostly women, are suffering from moderate to severe fuel burns and need additional care.»

The central Mediterranean crossing is considered the deadliest in the world for migrants who board temporary boats. According to the data of the Italian Ministry of the Interior, since the beginning of the year, about 27,000 people have arrived in Italy by sea from the coasts of North Africa, slightly less than 20,000 compared to the same period in 2021.