Skip to content
A Member of the Law Professor Blogs Network

Refugees Drown Near Libya

 

 
Samuel Osborne for The Independent reports that at least 74 refugees have drowned after their Europe-bound ship capsized off the coast of Libya yesterday, the United Nation’s migration agency has said.

Only 47 people were rescued by the Libyan coast guard and fishermen from the boat, which was carrying over 120 people including women and children off the coast of the port of al-Khums, according to the International Organization for Migration.

The IOM said 31 bodies have been retrieved so far and the search for the remaining victims continues.

“The mounting loss of life in the Mediterranean is a manifestation of the inability of States to take decisive action to redeploy much needed, dedicated Search and Rescue capacity in the deadliest sea-crossing in the world,” said Federico Soda, IOM Libya chief of mission.

KJ

Posted in: