The Bangladesh Embassy in Italy has identified seven Bangladeshi migrants who died of hypothermia on a boat from Libya on its way to the Mediterranean island of Lampedusa on Jan 25.
Councillor Erfanul Haque of the Labour Welfare Wing at the embassy, accompanied by another person, spoke to the survivors, reports bdnews24.com.
The dead were identified as Imran Hossain and Joy Talukdar from West Piarpur village in Madaripur, Safayet from Ghatakchar village, Zahirul from Mostafapur village, Bappi from Sadar Upazila in Madaripur, Sazzad from Jamalganj in Sunamganj and Saidul from Bhairab Upazila in Kishoreganj, according to a statement issued by the embassy on Saturday.
The embassy delegates spoke to those staying in a camp in Lampedusa in the presence of the Italian police. The Italian authorities provided no details about the dead and the victims did not carry documents with them, which complicated the process, according to the statement.
The dead, except for one, had their acquaintances among the rescued migrants. The families were requested to contact the respective deputy commissioner or upazila executive officer, or email the Bangladesh Embassy in Rome.
The coastguard saw the boat overnight 29 kilometres off the coast of Lampione, an uninhabited island near Lampedusa, and rescue operations were conducted, Agrigento Prosecutor Luigi Patronaggio said. His office has opened an inquiry into alleged abetting of illegal migration and manslaughter.
Lampedusa Mayor Salvatore Martello confirmed the death toll, adding the vessel was carrying 280 migrants, mainly from Bangladesh and Egypt.
Italy, a major route into Europe for hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers and other migrants, has seen an increase in migrant boats in recent months.
As of Jan 24, 1,751 migrants have disembarked in Italy's ports so far this year, according to government data.