Only seven survivors were rescued after a vessel carrying 49 people overturned in the Mediterranean<\/p>\n
At least 42 migrants are feared dead after a rubber boat capsized off the coast of Libya earlier this month, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Wednesday.\u00a0
\nThe vessel departed from the western coastal city of Zuwara on November 3 with 47 men and two women on board. About six hours into the journey, \u201chigh waves caused the engine to fail, capsizing the boat and throwing all passengers overboard,\u201d according to the UN agency. Libyan authorities launched a search and rescue operation near the Al Buri Oil Field later that week. \u00a0
\nThe 42 people still missing \u2013 now presumed dead \u2013 included 29 Sudanese, eight Somalis, three Cameroonians, and two Nigerians.\u00a0
\nOnly seven passengers survived after drifting for six days. According to the statement, they included four Sudanese nationals, two Nigerians, and one Cameroonian. \u201cIOM\u2019s team provided the survivors with emergency medical care, water, and food upon arrival at the disembarkation point in coordination with relevant authorities,\u201d the agency reported.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Read more<\/p>\n
Over 110 dead or missing after migrant shipwrecks \u2013 UN<\/p>\n
Many of those on board were escaping prolonged conflict and instability in their home countries. Sudan has been mired in a devastating war since April 2023, displacing millions, while Somalia continues to grapple with armed violence, terrorist attacks by the Al-Shabaab militant group, and persistent insecurity.\u00a0
\nAccording to the IOM\u2019s Missing Migrants Project, more than 1,000 people have lost their lives along the Central Mediterranean route since the beginning of 2025. The UN migration agency notes that Libya, a key transit point for migrants escaping conflict and poverty in Africa and the Middle East, remains one of the most dangerous departure routes for those attempting to reach Europe by sea.\u00a0
\nLibya Review reported that in 2024 alone, more than 665 deaths were confirmed and over 1,000 migrants were recorded missing along that route.\u00a0
\nIn September, two separate vessels carrying mostly Sudanese nationals capsized near the eastern Libyan city of Tobruk. One boat carrying 74 passengers overturned, leaving only 13 survivors. The second vessel with 75 people on board caught fire, resulting in at least 50 fatalities.\u00a0<\/p>\n
READ MORE: A land of mass graves and mercenaries \u2013 Can this genocide be stopped?<\/p>\n
\u201cUrgent action is needed to end such tragedies at sea,\u201d the IOM stressed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Only seven survivors were rescued after a vessel carrying 49 people overturned in the Mediterranean At least 42 migrants are feared dead after a rubber boat capsized off the coast…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22368,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,6,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22367","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","category-environment","category-politics"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t