Sixty one illegal immigrants disappeared and are presumed dead after their boat sank due to high waves near Zwara–off the Libyan coast– the International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced on Saturday.
The victims, mostly women and children, were from Nigeria, Gambia and other African nations, the IOM said.
There were 86 people on board according to survivors, who numbered 25 in total.
These “fortunate” individuals were rescued and promptly transferred to a Libyan detention center.
Libya and Tunisia are the primary departure points for migrants risking a perilous crossing in the hope of reaching Europe, via Italy.
IOM spokesman Flavio Di Giacomo said that over 2,200 people have died this year in the central Mediterranean, a “dramatic figure which shows that unfortunately not enough is being done to save lives at sea,” in an interview with Rai Radio 1, per his tweet on Sunday.
He clarified in another tweet that The Search and Rescue (SAR) zone establishes a burden to save lives, not an exclusive right to intervene. They are international waters, not Libyan. It should be noted that a SAR zone also requires a safe port of disembarkation, and Libya does not fall under that category.