Nearly 100 migrants rescued as boat capsizes near Libya

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Migrants often depart Libya for Europe. Associated Press/Photo by Paul de la Calle

Nearly 100 migrants rescued as boat capsizes near Libya

A boat carrying African migrants on Tuesday capsized off the coast of Libya, killing at least eight people. The local branch of the Red Crescent, a humanitarian organization connected to the Red Cross, said Wednesday that roughly 100 others have been rescued and that the boat was bound for Italy. It remains unclear how many migrants on the boat are still missing, but nearly 150 people had packed onto the boat, according to the Red Crescent.

Why do so many migrant ships leave Libya? In 2021, about 32,400 refugees and migrants traveled to Europe from Libya, more than double the numbers in 2020, according to a United Nations Refugee Agency report. Libya has become a common transit point for migrants leaving Africa and the Middle East, due in part to the country’s political instability and proximity to Italy.

Dig deeper: From the archives, read Onize Ohikere’s World Tour report on the nations and stakeholders involved in Libya’s unrest.

Lauren Canterberry

Lauren Canterberry is a reporter for WORLD. She graduated from the World Journalism Institute and the University of Georgia with a degree in journalism, both in 2017. She worked as a local reporter in Texas and now lives in Georgia with her husband.