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At least 73 migrants 'presumed dead' after shipwreck off Libya

Wednesday, 15 February 2023 3:24 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 15 February 2023 3:37 PM ]

Libyan Red Crescent workers put in a bag the body of a migrant who died after their boat capsized. (Reuters file photo)

The United Nations says dozens of migrants are believed to have died in a shipwreck off Libya, and only seven have been rescued so far.

The UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Wednesday at least 73 migrants are missing and presumed dead following a shipwreck off the coast of Libya.

The boat carrying 80 passengers left for Europe from Qasr Al-Akhyar, 75 kilometers east of Tripoli, the capital of the country.

“Seven survivors who made it back to Libyan shores in extremely dire conditions are currently in the hospital,” IOM spokesperson Safa Msehli said in a statement.

So far, 11 bodies have been retrieved by the Libyan Red Crescent and local police.

“This latest tragedy pushes the number of deaths in the central Mediterranean route to over 130 deaths so far this year,” she said.

The Central Mediterranean is the deadliest sea crossing for migrants in the world. According to the IOM, after the last disaster, the number of casualties since the beginning of this year has reached 130.

“The central Mediterranean remains the world’s deadliest migratory sea crossing, claiming the largest number of lives each year,” said Msehli. “This situation is intolerable,”

According to the agency's Missing Migrants Project, more than 1,450 migrant deaths have been recorded on the route in 2022, and more than 17,000 deaths and disappearances have been recorded there since 2014.

"This situation is intolerable," IOM said. "Concrete action by states is needed to increase search and rescue capacity, establish clear and safe disembarkation mechanisms as well as safe and regular pathways to migration to reduce dangerous journeys."

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