Sixty-one migrants, including women and children, lost their lives in a tragic shipwreck off the coast of Libya, as reported by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Libya.
In a statement on the social media platform X, the IOM cited survivors who disclosed that the ill-fated boat, carrying approximately 86 individuals, departed from the Libyan city of Zwara, situated about 110 km (68 miles) from the capital, Tripoli.
“The central Mediterranean continues to be one of the world’s most dangerous migration routes,” emphasized the IOM.
This devastating incident is part of a series of deadly events this year, notably one in June when a fishing boat, overcrowded with hundreds of migrants, sank off Greece after departing from Tobruk, Libya. The intended destination of Italy resulted in 78 confirmed deaths, with the fate of 518 others remaining unknown, according to an IOM report.
Drowning emerged as the predominant cause of death on global migration routes in the first half of 2023, recording 2,200 fatalities during this period, as highlighted in the IOM report. The central Mediterranean route proved to be the deadliest, accounting for a total of 1,727 deaths and disappearances along its shores during the same timeframe, with the majority of recorded deaths in Tunisia, followed by Libya, according to the report.
It is important to note that the figures provided are acknowledged as an undercount, as per the IOM report.
Sea migrant arrivals in Italy have nearly doubled in 2023 compared to the corresponding period in the previous year, with approximately 140,000 individuals reaching the shores thus far. Notably, 91% of these arrivals originated from Tunisia, with the small Italian island of Lampedusa experiencing the brunt of landings.
In response to the escalating situation, the European Union and Tunisia signed a “strategic partnership” deal in July, encompassing efforts to combat human traffickers and enhance border control amidst a significant upsurge in boats departing from North Africa to Europe.
In a joint effort, Britain and Italy announced plans on Saturday to finance the repatriation of migrants stranded in Tunisia. However, the exact amount of the financial commitment was not disclosed in statements released by both countries.
