According to the Red Crescent, which has been handling the search and rescue operations, eyewitnesses to the disaster said nearly 150 people had packed on to the boat in hopes of reaching Italy. On Wednesday, Red Crescent workers in protective clothes were laying bodies of the drowned into bags by the portside. Libya is a major departure point for people seeking to reach Europe because of its proximity to Italy and its own porous borders. However, immersed since 2011 in its own conflict, and with much of the country controlled by armed factions, Libya is also a dangerous place for migrants and refugees. Many are locked into detention centers where some have complained about ill treatment including neglect, abuse and exploitation.

Source: Libya Today January 25, 2023 20:16 UTC