Dozens of people are missing and presumed dead after their boat sank off Libya’s coast, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has said, in the latest migration tragedy off north Africa. The 61 people are believed to have died because of high waves, which swamped their vessel after it left from Zuwara, on Libya’s north-west coast, the IOM’s Libya office said in a statement on Saturday. Libya and Tunisia are principal departure points for people risking dangerous sea voyages in hopes of reaching Europe, via Italy. An IOM team “provided medical support” and the survivors were all in good condition, the IOM office said. The Adriana, a fishing boat loaded with 750 people en route from Libya to Italy, went down in international waters off south-west Greece on 14 June.

Source: Libya Today December 17, 2023 11:38 UTC