At least 50 people lost their lives when a vessel carrying 75 Sudanese refugees caught fire off the Libyan coast on Sunday, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Tuesday.
Rescue teams managed to save 24 survivors, who later received medical treatment from the IOM.
Libya remains one of the most dangerous but frequently used routes for migrants and refugees attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe. The crisis deepened after the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi, leaving the country fractured and vulnerable to smuggling networks.
According to IOM figures, as of February 2025 more than 867,000 migrants from 44 different nationalities were living in Libya, many awaiting opportunities to make the perilous sea journey.
