At least 61 immigrantsTwo people, including women and children, died this Saturday. A “tragic” shipwreck off the coast of LibyaAccording to the report of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
In the statement made by IOM, “According to survivors, the boat with approximately 86 people on board left Zuara (west of Tripoli) off the Libyan coast. The Central Mediterranean remains one of the most dangerous migration routes in the world.”
Libya, together with Tunisia, is the main starting point of the migration route from the Central Mediterranean to Europe.It is considered one of the deadliest known events, with 2,203 people dead as of November (more than 22,400 since 2014).
By December 9, the Libyan coast guard had seized hundreds of boats with more than 15,300 people on board. Those sent back to Libya, which is considered “unsafe” by human rights organizations.
This week, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) published a report condemning the abuse and ill-treatment of refugees and migrants in detention centers in Tripoli, where thousands of people are arbitrarily held.
The Libyan National Unity Government’s (GUN) Agency for Combating Illegal Migration said in a statement this Saturday that 106 migrants of Syrian, Sudanese and Palestinian nationality were released “on the condition that they never try to reach the European Union by crossing the sea again.” Ministry of Interior.
IOM also reported that 136 migrants returned voluntarily. BangladeshIncluding two families where 41 had medical conditions.
More than 950 people have died on the journey from Libya to Europe in 2023, with 1,200 people still missing.
The main nationalities of the immigrants are Egyptians, Bangladeshis and Syrians Setting out from Libya, they manage to reach the European shores, especially Italy.
According to the latest report of the international organization, more than 700,000 immigrants from approximately 40 nationalities live in Libya.