TRIPOLI: At least 61 migrants were missing and presumed dead after their boat sank off Libya’s coast, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Saturday, in the latest such tragedy off North Africa. Libya and Tunisia are principal departure points for migrants risking dangerous sea voyages in hopes of reaching Europe, via Italy. More than 153,000 migrants arrived in Italy this year from Tunisia and Libya, according to the United Nations refugee agency. Her approach to tackling illegal migration won praise from British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during a visit to Rome on Saturday. The United Nations has described the central Mediterranean migration route as the world’s deadliest, claiming hundreds of lives each year.

Source: Libya Today December 18, 2023 12:11 UTC