At least 53 people are dead or missing after a migrant boat capsized off the Libyan coast, the UN migration agency reported on Monday. Only two survivors were rescued.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said the boat overturned north of Zuwara on Friday, in the latest disaster involving migrants attempting the dangerous Mediterranean crossing to reach Europe.
Survivor accounts
IOM officials said two Nigerian women survived and received emergency medical care upon disembarkation. One survivor reported losing her husband, while the other lost her two babies in the tragedy.
According to the accounts, the vessel departed from Al-Zawiya, Libya, around 11pm on February 5 and capsized six hours later after taking on water.
Smuggling networks blamed
The Geneva-based agency warned that trafficking and smuggling networks exploit migrants along the route from North Africa to southern Europe, profiting from unsafe boats while exposing people to abuse.
IOM called for stronger international cooperation to tackle these networks and urged safe and regular migration pathways to reduce risks and save lives.
European response
A spokesperson for the European Commission said Brussels is working to address the root causes of irregular migration and promote safe, legal, and orderly routes to the EU. The Commission emphasised the need to prevent dangerous journeys and combat criminal smuggling networks.
Migrant deaths in the Mediterranean
Since 2014, more than 33,000 migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean, according to IOM’s Missing Migrants Project. Last year alone, 1,873 people were reported missing or dead, including 1,342 on the central Mediterranean route.
The latest disaster highlights the ongoing dangers faced by migrants attempting the perilous crossing amid harsh weather conditions.
Also read: Foreign inmates granted presidential pardon, immediate deportation
For more videos and updates, check out our YouTube channel
