At least four Bangladeshi individuals lost their lives when two boats carrying a total of 95 irregular migrants capsized near the Libyan coastal city of Al Khums. The Libyan Red Crescent disclosed this information on Saturday, stating that the initial boat was carrying 26 migrants from Bangladesh, with four fatalities reported. The second boat held 69 migrants, including two Egyptians and a significant number of Sudanese individuals, although their status was not specified by the Red Crescent.
Al Khums is situated approximately 118 km to the east of the capital, Tripoli. On a previous occasion, the International Organization for Migration reported that 42 migrants were missing and presumed dead after a rubber boat sank near the Al Buri oilfield, an offshore site to the north-northwest of the Libyan coast.
Since the overthrow of dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 during a Nato-supported uprising, Libya has turned into a passage for migrants escaping conflict and poverty en route to Europe via the Mediterranean. Distressing images released by the Khums Red Crescent depicted a row of deceased individuals in black bags on the ground, alongside volunteers administering first aid to survivors. Additional photos showcased rescued migrants wrapped in thermal blankets while seated on the floor.
The statement highlighted the involvement of Coast Guards and the Khums Port Security Agency in the rescue mission, with the deceased bodies being transferred to the appropriate authorities as per directives from the city’s public prosecution. In a separate incident in mid-October, 61 migrant bodies were discovered on the coast west of Tripoli. Furthermore, in September, the IOM documented the deaths of at least 50 individuals following a fire on a vessel carrying 75 Sudanese refugees off the Libyan coast.