Only 13 people 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, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). This marks the second major maritime tragedy in the region in just a few days.

The UNHCR’s Libya chapter expressed deep sorrow over the incident in a post on X, noting that dozens of those still missing are presumed dead. The agency offered condolences to the families and loved ones affected.

Earlier, on September 14, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) reported that at least 50 people died after a separate vessel carrying 75 Sudanese refugees caught fire near Tobruk. The IOM spokesperson emphasized the urgent need for global action to prevent further maritime tragedies and provided lifesaving medical care to 24 survivors.

The ongoing conflict in Sudan, involving clashes between the national army and paramilitary forces, has forced over 140,000 Sudanese refugees into Libya over the past two years. This surge has nearly doubled the number of Sudanese seeking refuge in the country.

Libya has become a key transit point for migrants attempting the perilous journey across the Mediterranean to Europe. Recent months have seen repeated tragedies: in August, at least 27 people died when two boats capsized near Italy's Lampedusa island, and two months earlier, roughly 60 migrants were feared drowned in separate shipwrecks off Libya’s coast.

According to the IOM, between January 1 and September 13, at least 456 people have died and another 420 have gone missing along the central Mediterranean migration route. Currently, Libya hosts approximately 867,055 migrants.

The country’s political instability, with competing governments and ongoing militia clashes, continues to exacerbate the situation. Human rights organisations and UN agencies have repeatedly reported widespread abuses against migrants and refugees in Libya, including torture, sexual violence, and extortion.

Source: ANI