22 Missing, 1 Dead as Migrant Boat Capsizes off Libyan Coast

 

In a tragic incident on Tuesday, a boat carrying 32 migrants capsized off the coast of Libya, leaving one person dead and 22 others missing. The Libyan coast guard in Tobruk reported that nine survivors were rescued and brought to port, with the injured receiving medical attention. The boat, which departed from Bab al-Zaitoun, suffered an engine failure, according to Abreen, a local charity supporting migrants.

The migrants, mainly from Egypt and Syria, highlight the ongoing humanitarian crisis as people flee conflict and poverty across the Middle East and Africa. Libya remains a key departure point for those attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe, despite the country’s ongoing instability since the 2011 ousting of Moammar Gadhafi. Traffickers continue to exploit Libya’s fragile borders, placing migrants on overcrowded, unseaworthy vessels.

This latest tragedy adds to the grim statistics of lives lost at sea, with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reporting at least 434 deaths and 611 missing off Libya’s coast in just the past eight months. The incident underscores the immense dangers faced by those seeking a better life, only to encounter exploitation, perilous journeys, and often, a tragic end.