Photo credit: Daily Sabah
Emergency teams recovered victims after a migrant boat capsized off the coast near Derma, in Libya.
Africa News reports that the incident once again underscores the dangers of the Central Mediterranean migration route.
Saleh Jumaa Al-Mahjoub, a member of the Libyan Red Crescent, said 12 bodies have been recovered so far in the Qasr Al-Akhyar and Ghanima areas.
Search operations were ongoing as authorities worked to determine how many people were on board when the vessel went down.
The Central Mediterranean route, stretching from North African countries such as Libya toward Italy and Greece is widely regarded as one of the world’s deadliest migration corridors.
Migrants and asylum seekers often attempt the crossing in overcrowded and unseaworthy boats, relying on smuggling networks to make the perilous journey in hopes of reaching Europe.
According to the International Organization of Migration, more than 2,100 migrants died or went missing while attempting to cross the Mediterranean last year alone. Humanitarian groups warn that the true toll may be even higher, as many shipwrecks go unrecorded.
