A rubber boat carrying 55 passengers, including two infants, has overturned off the coast of Libya, according to the UN migration agency. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that the only survivors were two Nigerian women rescued by Libyan authorities. The boat sank approximately six hours after departing from the coastal city of al-Zawiya in north-western Libya. The IOM revealed that nearly 500 migrants have died or gone missing while trying to cross the Mediterranean from Libya this year.
Witness accounts indicate that the boat capsized after taking on water shortly after leaving port. The tragically high death toll highlights the risks taken by migrants and refugees, many of whom come from various African countries in search of a better life. It has been noted that Libya has become a critical transit point for these individuals since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
Reports indicate that both survivors have suffered devastating losses: one survivor lost her husband, while the other reported that her two babies had died. IOM teams have provided them with emergency medical care. In January of this year alone, at least 375 migrants are believed to have died in similar incidents, raising concerns over hidden deaths during harsh winter conditions at sea.
Despite the dangers, the dangerous crossings persist as migrants continue to attempt to reach Europe, propelled by dire conditions in Libya where they face torture, trafficking, and extreme abuse amid a thriving smuggling network. The IOM has called for enhanced international collaboration to dismantle these trafficking systems and to create safe migration pathways to mitigate the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
Witness accounts indicate that the boat capsized after taking on water shortly after leaving port. The tragically high death toll highlights the risks taken by migrants and refugees, many of whom come from various African countries in search of a better life. It has been noted that Libya has become a critical transit point for these individuals since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
Reports indicate that both survivors have suffered devastating losses: one survivor lost her husband, while the other reported that her two babies had died. IOM teams have provided them with emergency medical care. In January of this year alone, at least 375 migrants are believed to have died in similar incidents, raising concerns over hidden deaths during harsh winter conditions at sea.
Despite the dangers, the dangerous crossings persist as migrants continue to attempt to reach Europe, propelled by dire conditions in Libya where they face torture, trafficking, and extreme abuse amid a thriving smuggling network. The IOM has called for enhanced international collaboration to dismantle these trafficking systems and to create safe migration pathways to mitigate the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
