73 migrants missing and presumed dead after Mediterranean boat wreck

Libyan authorities retrieved 11 bodies on Wednesday and said seven more migrants had survived and made it ashore, according to the United Nations. One survivor said those on the boat had paid between $3,000 and $5,000 each to make the trip to Europe.

What happened to the boat? It remains unclear, but Libya has emerged as a major departure point for migrants seeking to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe. The U.N. reports that more than 500 migrants died last year trying to leave Libya and more than 800 went missing. More than 25,800 migrants have died or gone missing trying to cross the Mediterranean since 2014.

Dig deeper: Read Lauren Canterberry’s report in The Sift about how nearly 100 migrants were rescued off the shores of Libya earlier this year.