The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) said on Tuesday night that 80 Afghan citizens, including children, had died in Sunday’s shipwreck off the southern coast of Italy.
Rescuers have so far confirmed at least 64 people were killed after a wooden boat sank in heavy seas near Steccato di Cutro, a seaside resort on the eastern coast of Calabria.
Reuters reported that 80 people were rescued but that more people were believed to be missing.
“With great sadness, we learned … that 80 Afghan refugees, including women and children, who were travelling from Türkiye to Italy in a wooden boat, drowned and died in the southern sea of Italy,” the Afghan foreign ministry said in a statement.
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan prays for forgiveness for the martyrs and patience for the families and relatives of the victims, urging all citizens once again to avoid going to foreign countries through irregular migration,” the statement added.
The boat had set sail from the port of Izmir in western Turkey last week.
