Tripoli [Libya], September 18 (ANI): Only 13 people have survived, and dozens remain missing, after a vessel carrying 74 refugees — mostly from Sudan — capsized off the coast of Tobruk in eastern Libya on September 13, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said, marking the second major maritime tragedy in the region within days.
In a post on X on Wednesday, UNHCR’s Libya chapter expressed deep sorrow over the incident, noting that dozens presumed drowned are still missing. “UNHCR is deeply saddened by a second tragic boat incident off Tobruk on September 13, where a vessel carrying 74 people, mostly Sudanese refugees, capsized. Only 13 people survived, and dozens remain missing. Our condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives,” the agency said.
Earlier, on Tuesday, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that at least 50 people died after a boat carrying 75 Sudanese refugees caught fire off the coast of Libya near Tobruk on September 14.
In a post on X, an IOM spokesperson expressed grief over the loss and urged urgent global action to prevent such maritime disasters. “IOM is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life after a vessel carrying 75 Sudanese refugees caught fire off Libya’s coast on September 14. At least 50 lives were lost. IOM provided lifesaving medical care to 24 survivors. Urgent action is needed to end such tragedies at sea,” the statement read.
The ongoing conflict in Sudan between the national army and paramilitary forces has forced more than 140,000 Sudanese refugees to flee into Libya over the past two years, nearly doubling the number of Sudanese nationals seeking refuge in the country, Al Jazeera reported.
This influx comes amid a series of tragedies involving migrants attempting the dangerous Mediterranean crossing from Africa to Europe. According to Al Jazeera, in August at least 27 people died when two boats capsized near Italy’s Lampedusa Island. Two months earlier, around 60 migrants were feared drowned in separate shipwrecks off Libya’s coast.
The IOM reports that between January 1 and September 13, at least 456 people have died and another 420 remain missing along the central Mediterranean migration route.
Libya, currently hosting about 867,000 migrants, has become a major transit hub for those trying to reach Europe, particularly since the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The country continues to face political instability, with competing governments and frequent clashes among rival militias in the oil-rich nation.
Numerous human rights organizations and UN agencies have documented widespread abuses against migrants and refugees in Libya, including torture, sexual violence, and extortion. (ANI)
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