IOM says boat capsizes off Libya, 35 presumed dead or missing

At least 35 people are presumed dead after a boat capsized off the Libyan coast, the United Nations migration agency said on Saturday.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said the boat sank off the western Libyan city of Sabratha, a major launching point for people from Africa who attempt to make the dangerous voyage across the Mediterranean.

IOM said the bodies of six people were retrieved from the sea while 29 others were missing and presumed dead. It was not immediately clear what caused the wooden boat to capsize on Friday.

“The continued loss of life in the Mediterranean must not be normalised, human lives are the cost of inaction,” the IOM tweeted.

“Dedicated search and rescue capacity and a safe disembarkation mechanism are urgently needed to prevent further deaths and suffering.”

🚨 A small wooden boat carrying around 35 migrants capsized off Sabratha, #Libya yesterday. The bodies of six people have been retrieved while 29 others are missing and presumed dead. At least 53 migrants have been reported dead or missing off Libya this week alone. pic.twitter.com/XaM5waGp3M

— IOM Libya (@IOM_Libya) April 16, 2022

Libya has become a major transit route for migrants trying to reach Europe by sea since chaos erupted in the North African country after the 2011 revolt that toppled longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi.