More than 60 people, including women and children, drown in shipwreck off Libya, says IOM

More than 60 people, including women and children, are said to have drowned in a shipwreck off the coast of Libya, on Saturday (Dec 16), according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The United Nations agency citing survivors said that the boat carrying around 86 people departed the Libyan city of Zwara.

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According to the IOM, at least 61 people, including women and children, are missing and presumed dead.

A “large number of migrants” are believed to have died because of high waves which swamped their vessel, the UN agency’s office in Libya told AFP, in a statement.

ALSO READ |Around 40 migrants missing after boat capsizes between Italy and Tunisia

At least 25 people were rescued and transferred to a Libyan detention centre, said the IOM, adding that the organisation’s team “provided medical support” and the survivors are all in good condition.

Most of the victims, involved in the latest incident, are from Nigeria, Gambia and other African countries, said the UN agency. “The central Mediterranean continues to be one of the world’s most dangerous migration routes,” said the IOM, in a statement on X.

Flavio Di Giacomo, an IOM spokesperson took to X and said more than 2,250 people died this year on the central Mediterranean migrant route, a “dramatic figure which demonstrates that unfortunately not enough is being done to save lives at sea”.

ALSO READ |At least five killed, seven missing after migrant boat capsizes off Tunisian coast

Rise in number ofmigrant boats

Since the beginning of this year, there has been a dramatic rise in the number of Europe-bound central Mediterranean migrant crossings from North Africa which is said to be the world’s deadliest, according to the United Nations.

Libya and Tunisia are said to be one of the main departure points for refugees and asylum seekers risking dangerous sea voyages in hopes of reaching Europe. More than 153,000 migrants arrived in Italy this year from Tunisia and Libya, according to the UN refugee agency.

ALSO READ |Migrant boat with 400 on board slowly sinking between Libya and Malta

In June, the Adriana, a fishing boat loaded with 750 people which departed from Libya and was en route to Italy, sank in international waters off southwest Greece.

An AFP report citing survivors said, the ship was carrying mainly Syrians, Pakistanis and Egyptians. Over 104 people survived and 82 bodies were reportedly recovered after the deadly incident.

(With inputs from agencies)