About 90 people were feared drowned after a smuggler’s boat mostly carrying Pakistani migrants capsized off Libya’s coast early Friday, the UN’s migration agency said. Eight were believed to be Pakistani, and two Libyans. By nationality, Pakistanis made up the 13th largest nationality represented among migrants making the crossing, while they grew to the third-largest national contingent in January. IOM says 6,624 people crossed the Mediterranean in January — about two-thirds of them to Italy alone — about a 10% increase from a year earlier in January. About 250 people died in the crossing in January, six fewer than a year ago in the same month.

Source: Hindustan Times February 02, 2018 10:52 UTC