A dozen Egyptian migrants fear death after boat capsizes off Libya

There are fears that at least twelve Egyptian migrants have died after their boat capsized off the coast of Tobruk, an eastern city in Libya, on Monday. Only one of the 13 people on board survived the shipwreck and was rescued by Libyan authorities, according to two Egyptian security sources.

The migrants, originally from Egypt’s Al-Sharqiyah and Al-Gharbiya provinces, began the dangerous journey to Italy on Sunday evening on a smuggler’s boat. Accounts from a survivor indicate that the group sought to reach Europe amid Egypt’s severe economic problems, including rising inflation and high unemployment.

Libya, which has suffered ongoing instability since the NATO-backed overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, has become a central transit point for migrants fleeing conflict and poverty for better lives in Europe. Libya is now home to more than 761,000 migrants from 44 different nationalities, many hoping to cross the Mediterranean for a safer and more prosperous future, according to UN data collected in mid-2024.

The incident highlights the risks many migrants face when they make dangerous sea journeys to escape harsh conditions at home.

Melissa Enoch