Libya is a dominant transit point for migrants fleeing war and poverty in Africa and the Middle East. Drowning incidents near the country’s coast have been common.
(This is a locator map for Libya with its capital, Tripoli. AP Photo)
At least 15 Egyptian migrants died early Friday when a boat bound for Europe capsized off Libya’s eastern coast, officials said.
The vessel, carrying dozens of people, overturned around 2 a.m. near the town of Tobruk, according to Marwan al-Shaeri, spokesperson for the Tobruk branch of Libya’s Coast Guard.
Al-Shaeri confirmed that all confirmed fatalities were Egyptian nationals. Two Sudanese crewmembers were rescued, while a third remains missing. He said the sea conditions were unsafe for sailing but could not confirm the cause of the capsizing.
The total number of missing remains unclear. However, local aid group Abreen reported on Facebook that 10 people had survived the incident as of Friday afternoon.
Libya remains a key transit hub for migrants fleeing conflict and poverty across Africa and the Middle East. Shipwrecks are frequent along its coast. In December, at least 61 migrants—many of them women and children—drowned off Zuwara, on Libya’s western shore.
According to the International Organization for Migration’s Missing Migrants Project, at least 434 migrants have died and 611 are missing off Libya’s coast in the past eight months. Over 14,100 have been intercepted and returned to Libya during the same period.
Libya has struggled with lawlessness and instability since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that ousted longtime ruler Moammar Gadhafi.
In December, at least 61 migrants, including women and children, drowned off the town of Zuwara on Libya’s western coast.
(This is a locator map for Libya with its capital, Tripoli. AP Photo)
