Sixty-one migrants, including children, feared drowned off Libya
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More than 60 migrants, including children, are believed to have drowned in a shipwreck off the coast of Libya, one of the main departure points for migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe, the BBC reported on Dec. 17.
High waves swamped the boat, which left the city of Zuwara with around 86 people on board. Sixty-one migrants, including children, are missing and presumed dead, survivors said.
The IOM estimates that more than 2,200 people have drowned while attempting the crossing this year alone, making it one of the most dangerous migration routes in the world. Most of the victims in the latest incident were from Nigeria, Gambia, and other African countries. The 25 survivors havebeen transferred to a Libyan detention center and are receiving medical care.
The death toll this year is a dramatic number which unfortunately demonstrates that not enough is being done to save lives at sea.
The Mediterranean crossings frequently see scores of migrants crowded onto boats too small to safely hold them. Those making the trip are typically hoping to land in Italy before making their way to other countries in Europe, some escaping conflict or persecution, others in search of work.
More than 153,000 migrants have arrived in Italy this year from Tunisia and Libya, according to the UN's refugee agency.
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