A spokesperson for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported a tragic incident where a rubber boat carrying 75 Sudanese refugees caught fire off the coast of Tobruk, Libya, while they were en route to Greece. According to the spokesperson, “at least 50 lives were lost.” The IOM confirmed in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that the shipwreck occurred on Sunday.
The spokesperson did not provide details on the ages or gender of those who were on board the boat. “IOM provided immediate lifesaving medical care to the 24 survivors,” the spokesperson added, without clarifying if one person was still missing.
Libya is a major transit country for thousands of migrants who attempt to reach Europe by sea each year. Between January 1 and September 13, at least 456 people died and 420 were reported missing along this Mediterranean route.
