Rome, 25 February (LaPresse) – Since the tragic night between 25 and 26 February 2023, when the Steccato di Cutro shipwrecked, killing 94 men, women and children just a few metres from the coast, more than 300 children – a conservative estimate – have lost their lives in the Mediterranean. Faced with the tragedy of three years ago, in which many people very close to the coast, to their longed-for salvation, met their deaths, and with the images of that beach where the sea had washed up the toys of those who would never grow up, commitments were made to ensure that “never again” would happen, just as had happened in Lampedusa after the terrible shipwreck of 2013. Instead, history continues to repeat itself. Many shipwrecks, however, are not visible, taking place on the high seas, far from view, without a trace, as evidenced by the bodies of migrants that the sea is returning day after day to the coasts of Calabria and Sicily. People swept away by the waves, but rejected by an approach that prioritises deterrence over the protection of human lives. This is according to Save the Children, the international organisation that has been fighting for over 100 years to save children's lives and guarantee them a future, emphasising that the Mediterranean remains one of the migration routes with the highest number of victims. More than 34,200 people have died or gone missing at sea in the Mediterranean since 2014, including almost 3,000 since the Cutro shipwreck and over 600 in 2026 alone.
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