A vessel carrying 75 Sudanese refugees caught fire off Libya’s coast on Sunday, leaving at least 50 people dead, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported Tuesday. The blaze marks yet another deadly tragedy on the perilous passage across the Mediterranean.
Of the 75 aboard, 24 survivors received medical aid. Many had been fleeing violence, hardship, or instability in Sudan, hoping to reach safety in Europe.
Libya remains a major hub for migrants from across Africa and beyond. Since the collapse of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, the country has seen increasing numbers of refugees and migrants using its shores as a launch point for risky sea journeys.
As of early 2025, around 867,055 migrants from 44 different nationalities were estimated to be residing in Libya, according to IOM figures. These individuals live in precarious conditions, often exposed to human trafficking, abuse, and dangerous travel routes.
Humanitarian organizations say urgent action is needed. In a message posted on X (formerly Twitter), IOM’s Libya office called the incident “deeply saddening” and urged the international community to take concrete steps to prevent more such disasters at sea.
This latest incident is part of a grim pattern: the central Mediterranean route continues to claim lives, driven by desperation, weak enforcement of maritime safety, and the complicity of traffickers. __Photos Courtesy Sabahnews.net
