A boat carrying 13 Egyptian migrants attempting to reach Europe capsized off the Libyan coast on Monday, tragically killing all but one on board, according to humanitarian group Al-Abreen and Libya’s Directorate for Combating Illegal Migration. The boat overturned 60 kilometers east of Tobruk, and authorities have since recovered the bodies of the deceased.
Libya has become a major transit point for migrants fleeing conflict and economic hardship in Africa and the Middle East, with traffickers taking advantage of the nation’s instability to send migrants across the Mediterranean on overcrowded, dangerous vessels. Last month, a similar incident near Tobruk left 23 people dead or missing.
According to the International Organization for Migration, 2023 saw a devastating toll on migrants attempting the journey from Libya, with 962 confirmed dead and 1,563 reported missing. Human traffickers continue to operate across Libya’s porous borders, highlighting the ongoing crisis and the urgent need for safer migration solutions.