Historical eventOctober 32013

2013 Lampedusa migrant shipwreck

A boat carrying migrants from Libya to Italy sank off the Italian island of Lampedusa, resulting in more than 360 deaths.

Everything on October 3Original source

In context

When
Thursday, October 3 201313 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
21st century · 2010s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

At a glance

Dates: From 2013.

What came beforeAI-assisted

Lampedusa, a small Italian island near Libya, had become a major entry point for migrants crossing the Mediterranean since the 2011 Libyan Civil War destabilized the region. Thousands of migrants attempted the dangerous sea crossing annually, with numerous shipwrecks and deaths recorded in previous years.

Catalyst / how it startedAI-assisted

A fishing trawler carrying approximately 500 migrants departed from Tripoli, Libya, bound for Italy. The vessel caught fire and capsized off Lampedusa on October 3, 2013, likely due to overcrowding, poor maintenance, or an onboard fire started by migrants signaling for help.

Who was involvedAI-assisted

The migrants aboard were primarily from Eritrea, Somalia, and other African nations fleeing conflict and poverty. Italian coast guard and rescue services responded to the disaster, along with fishing vessels and merchant ships in the area.

TimelineAI-assisted

October 3, 2013: The trawler caught fire and sank off Lampedusa. Rescue operations began immediately, with Italian coast guard and nearby vessels recovering survivors and bodies throughout the day and following days.

October 3–4, 2013: Death toll confirmed at 366, making it one of the deadliest maritime disasters in the Mediterranean. Only 155 survivors were rescued from the water.

What happened

A boat carrying migrants from Libya to Italy sank off the Italian island of Lampedusa, resulting in more than 360 deaths.

October 3 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 1993Battle of Mogadishu (1993)
  2. 1995Murder trial of O. J. Simpson
  3. 2003Siegfried & Roy
  4. 2008Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008
  5. 2009Azerbaijan
  6. 20132013 Lampedusa migrant shipwreck
  7. 2015Kunduz hospital airstrike
  8. 20212021 Milan Pilatus PC-12 crash
  9. 2022Svante Pääbo
  10. 2023Wab Kinew
  11. 2024Bengali language

Also in 2013

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  • September 18Via RailA VIA Rail train crashes into a double-decker bus at a train station in Ottawa, Canada, killing six people and injuring 35 others.
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Everything we record for 2013 →

Sources

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“2013 Lampedusa migrant shipwreck”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/2013-lampedusa-migrant-shipwreck-2013-october-3, accessed October 27, 2026.

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Questions about this entry

When did 2013 Lampedusa migrant shipwreck happen?

October 3 2013 — 13 years ago, on a Thursday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints. Panels marked AI-assisted were filled where the sources left a heading empty.

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