The bodies of two immigrants found on a ship in the Mediterranean, but another 57 people were rescued, the German non-governmental organization Sea Eye announced today Wednesday.

The alarm was raised on Tuesday afternoon as the aging wooden vessel was in the area where Malta has search and rescue jurisdiction, the charity said. The Sea Eye 4 was the first to arrive on the scene and rescuers found two of the migrants dead, likely poisoned by the engine’s fuel fumes.

“Our year began with a tragic mission rescue. It’s important to understand how tough it is to be trapped on the lower deck and exposed to toxic fumes,” commented Jan Riebeck, Sea Eye’s head of search and rescue missions.

The central Mediterranean is the most dangerous route for migrants worldwide: 2,498 people lost their lives at sea in 2023; according to the International Organization for Migration. Since the beginning of the year, around 4,500 migrants have landed in Italy, according to figures from the country’s interior ministry.