A ship carrying 13 Egyptian migrants to Europe capsized off the coast of Libya on Monday night, killing all on board apart from one survivor, native authorities reported on Tuesday, 29 October.
The Directorate for Combating Unlawful Migration in Tobruk confirmed that the boat capsized 60 kilometers (37 miles) east of Tobruk. Egypt’s Ministry of Overseas Affairs and Emigration has not but commented on the incident.
Lately, the Central Mediterranean Route has witnessed a surge in irregular migration, usually culminating in tragic shipwrecks. Egyptians, constituting seven p.c of arrivals to Italy in 2023, had been the fifth-most frequent nationality amongst arrivals in Italy in the identical 12 months.
Regardless of the well-known risks and dangers, many younger Egyptians and their households proceed to pursue irregular migration in hopes of higher job alternatives and dwelling circumstances.
Though Egyptian authorities have efficiently curbed migrant boat departures from the north coast since 2016, smugglers proceed to facilitate departures by means of neighboring Libya.
The Egyptian authorities has undertaken vital efforts to mitigate the hostile impacts of irregular migration. A key initiative is the Life Saving Boats program, which seeks to extend public consciousness of the dangers related to irregular migration, promote protected and authorized migration channels, and supply optimistic options to Egyptian youth.
