Two- and three-year-olds died in the Mediterranean

Two small children, two and three years old, died when a boat sank in the central Mediterranean Sea over the weekend. The children died after being picked up by a rescue ship.

17 people were rescued, according to the organization Sea Punk. When the organization's ship arrived at the accident site near Lampedusa, people were floating in the water on both sides of the boat, said spokesperson Gerson Reschke.

Many survivors are reported to have been severely hypothermic. According to witnesses, several people died during the journey, including a child, before the boat got into distress.

According to the UN, over 24,500 people died on their way to Europe in the central Mediterranean Sea between 2014 and 2024. However, the dark figure is believed to be large.