Libya Coast Tragedy: Four Dead, 91 Missing as Migrant Boats Capsize Off Al Khums
Image Source: Internet
At least four people have lost their lives in a devastating maritime disaster off Libya's coast, as two boats carrying 95 irregular migrants capsized in the Al Khums area. According to the Libyan Red Crescent, the first boat was carrying 26 migrants from Bangladesh, with four fatalities reported. The second boat, carrying 69 migrants from various countries, including Egypt and Sudan, has left the fate of its passengers uncertain. The International Organization for Migration had earlier reported that 42 migrants were presumed dead after a rubber boat sank near the Al Buri oilfield. Libya has become a key transit route for migrants fleeing conflict and poverty in search of a better life in Europe. Rescue efforts were undertaken by the Coast Guards and Khums Port Security Agency, with the bodies of the deceased handed over to the relevant authorities. The incident is the latest in a string of migrant tragedies off Libya's coast, with several countries, including Britain, Spain, Norway, and Sierra Leone, calling on Libya to close detention centers where migrants and refugees have faced torture, abuse, and even death.
