In a quiet corner of Lampedusa’s cemetery, retired professor Fabio Giovanetti tends to the graves of migrants who perished crossing the Mediterranean Sea. Though he never knew their names or stories, he says, “They are still human beings who had the misfortune to encounter a shipwreck.”
Lampedusa, a small island in the Mediterranean, has long served as a gateway to Europe for thousands of migrants. In 2024, over 45,000 people were welcomed there, and more than 9,000 have arrived so far in 2025. Those who don’t survive the perilous journey are sometimes buried on the island, often without identification.
Giovanetti is part of Forum Lampedusa Solidale, a group of volunteers committed to helping both locals and migrants. They have taken it upon themselves to care for the graves and honor the memory of those who died at sea. Each grave is decorated with art and messages—images of the sea wrapped in barbed wire, a symbol of the tragic fate of these unknown individuals.
Some graves bear names given by survivors or discovered through dedicated research. One such case is a man called “Yassin,” a name shouted during a shipwreck. Another is Ester Ada, who died in 2009 after a political standoff delayed rescue efforts. Her body was finally brought to Lampedusa with other survivors after four days at sea.
Welela, a young Eritrean woman, is one of the few whose full story is known. She had been trying to reach her brother in Northern Europe when she suffered severe burns during the journey. A local woman donated a burial plot, and through extensive efforts, her brother was found and shared her story.
Just a few kilometers from the cemetery, patrol boats continue to bring in rescued migrants. On April 21, 85 people were saved during a storm, but the body of a young man was also recovered. He is now one of over 30,000 victims who have died crossing the Mediterranean in the past decade.
At Lampedusa’s migrant reception center, staff offer material, medical, and psychological support to new arrivals—and help manage the remains of those who did not survive. One aid worker described the cemetery as the only place where locals and migrants truly come together, a place of memory, dignity, and care for those whose journey ended before reaching safety.
