Only one person survived when a boat carrying 13 migrants, reportedly from Egypt and Syria, capsized approximately 60 kilometers from the Libyan city of Tobruk. A humanitarian organization reported that the bodies were recovered and brought ashore.
A boat carrying 13 migrants attempting to reach Europe capsized off the Libyan coast, resulting in the loss of nearly all on board, with only one survivor, local authorities and a Libyan humanitarian group reported on Tuesday (October 29).
Humanitarian organization Al-Abreen, which provides aid to migrants in Libya, announced on Facebook that the boat overturned on Monday evening about 60 kilometers (37 miles) east of Tobruk. According to the group, the sole survivor was rescued, while the remaining bodies were recovered and brought ashore.
The Directorate for Combating Illegal Migration in Tobruk also confirmed the incident.
Al-Abreen reported that the capsized boat was en route to Europe, carrying migrants from both Egypt and Syria.
Libya: A perilous gateway to Europe
Libya has become an important transit point for irregular migrants attempting to reach Europe. Due to its geographic location along the southern Mediterranean, Libya offers one of the shortest maritime routes to Europe, particularly to Italy, making it a frequent embarkation point for migrants. Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has also struggled with internal conflict and a fractured government.
The journey across the Central Mediterranean is fraught with danger, as migrants face both perilous sea conditions and exploitation from criminal networks that have flourished amid Libya’s political instability.
In September, Libyan authorities reported that a migrant boat carrying 32 individuals capsized off the Libyan coast following an engine failure, resulting in the death of one person and leaving 22 others missing. The Tobruk coast guard confirmed that nine people were rescued.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), 962 migrants lost their lives, and 1,563 went missing off the coast of Libya last year. In 2023 alone, approximately 17,200 migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya.
With AP