At least 50 Sudanese refugees were killed when a boat carrying 75 people caught fire off Libya’s coast on Sunday, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said. The U.N. agency added that 24 survivors are receiving medical care and urged “urgent action” to prevent further loss of life on the Mediterranean route.
The tragedy is the latest in a string of deadly incidents. In August, at least 27 people died when two boats sank near Italy’s Lampedusa, and in June at least 60 were feared drowned in shipwrecks off Libya. IOM data show 2,452 migrants and refugees died or went missing in the Mediterranean last year, keeping it among the world’s deadliest migration corridors.
Since the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi, Libya has become a key transit hub for people trying to reach Europe. The country hosts an estimated 867,000 migrants, many exposed to detention, extortion and abuse by militias and armed groups.
