GENEVA: The United Nations on Wednesday reported that 42 migrants are missing and presumed dead after a boat capsized off the Libyan coast last week, in the latest tragedy along the central Mediterranean route.
According to the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM), seven survivors were rescued after drifting at sea for six days. The vessel, carrying 47 men and two women, departed from Zuwara, west of Tripoli, on November 3, but high waves caused the engine to fail, leading the boat to capsize.
Read More: Hundreds missing after migrant boat sinks near Thailand-Malaysia
The IOM said survivors held onto the overturned boat or wore life jackets, while Libyan authorities conducted search and rescue operations near the Al Buri oil field. The rescued migrants included four from Sudan, two from Nigeria, and one from Cameroon. They received emergency medical care, food, and water and were transferred to Tripoli.
Tragically, 42 individuals remain missing, including 29 from Sudan, eight from Somalia, three from Cameroon, and two from Nigeria. The IOM noted their health condition was generally stable among the survivors, apart from minor skin irritations from saltwater exposure.
Read More: Tragedy at sea: 42 Migrants feared dead off Libya’s coast
More than 1,000 migrants have died this year attempting the central Mediterranean crossing, underscoring the need for strengthened regional cooperation, expanded safe migration routes, and more effective search and rescue operations, the IOM said.