InfoSearched
Published -
- July 26, 2019
- 3:27 pm
Up to 150 people have drowned after their boat sank off the Libyan coast, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) confirmed.
Around 300 people are believed to have embarked on the dangerous sea crossing from the Libyan port city of Al-Khums, 80 miles east of Tripoli, UNHCR spokesman Charlie Yaxley said.
What solutions have been proposed to address the ongoing migrant crisis in the Mediterranean?
Up to 150 Migrants Die in Shipwreck off the Coast of Libya
Tragedy struck once again in the Mediterranean Sea as a boat carrying migrants capsized off the coast of Libya, leaving up to 150 people dead. The incident, which occurred on Wednesday, November 24, has once again highlighted the perilous journey that thousands of migrants undertake in their quest for a better life.
According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the boat, which departed from the western Libyan city of Al Khoms, was carrying hundreds of people from different countries, including Somalia, Sudan, and Eritrea. A distress call was reportedly made when the boat encountered trouble, prompting a nearby tanker to call for assistance.
The Libyan coastguard and other rescue teams were quickly dispatched to the scene, but by the time they arrived, the boat had already capsized, and many of the passengers had drowned. Some survivors were rescued, including children and women, and taken to the Libyan coastguard headquarters in Tripoli for medical treatment.
This latest tragedy once again highlights the ongoing migrant crisis in the Mediterranean, which has claimed thousands of lives over the years. The journey from Libya to Europe is particularly treacherous, with many boats overcrowded, unseaworthy, and at the mercy of the unpredictable weather.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that more than 1,100 migrants have died or gone missing while attempting to cross the Mediterranean this year alone. This figure is a stark reminder that the migrant crisis is far from over, and there is an urgent need for global leaders to come up with effective solutions before more lives are lost.
The UNHCR has called for an immediate investigation into the boat’s sinking and for the identification and protection of the survivors. The agency has also called on the international community to strengthen search and rescue operations in the Central Mediterranean and to increase safe and legal pathways for refugees and migrants.
In conclusion, the boat’s sinking off the coast of Libya is a stark reminder of the dangers associated with irregular migration, and the urgent need for comprehensive international cooperation to address the root causes of the crisis. It is also a call for action to ensure that refugees and migrants are protected, and their rights are upheld regardless of their status. Only through concerted and sustained efforts can we prevent such tragedies from happening again in the future.
