At least 74 people drowned off the coast of Libya today in the shipwreck of a boat carrying more than 120 people on board, including women and children. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced this today.
“Members of the IOM have reported a terrible shipwreck off the coast of al-Khums that left at least 74 dead today,” the UN organization said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the bodies of more than 70 shipwrecked people have washed up on the beach of al-Khums in western Libya. 31 bodies have already been recovered. The search for other victims is in full swing. The IOM also reports that 47 migrants have been rescued alive by the Libyan coast guard and fishermen.
According to the IOM, in the past two days, 90 migrants have already drowned after their boats sank at sea.
One of the victims is a six-month-old baby who died on Wednesday aboard a rescue ship of the Spanish NGO Open Arms. It concerns a boy named Joseph from Guinea. He was on board a boat with more than 100 migrants that capsized off the Libyan coast. At least five other asylum seekers were also killed.
“Despite the tremendous efforts of our medical team, a six-month-old baby has just passed away. We asked for an urgent evacuation for him and other people in dire need, but he didn’t make it. So much pain and sorrow,” Open Arms wrote on Twitter.
The UN organization adds that the NGO Open Arms’ rescue ship has rescued 200 people in three operations.
At least 900 people have drowned in the Mediterranean since the beginning of this year trying to reach Europe.
