In a devastating incident off the coast of Libya, a boat carrying dozens of migrants attempting to reach Europe capsized, resulting in the deaths of over 60 people, including women and children. The United Nations migration agency, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), confirmed the tragic shipwreck, which occurred overnight between Thursday and Friday. This incident is just one of many in the treacherous waters of the Mediterranean Sea, which has become a dangerous route for migrants seeking a better life in Europe.

The boat, carrying 86 migrants, was hit by strong waves and swamped near the town of Zuwara on Libya's western coast, according to survivors. The IOM stated that 61 migrants drowned in the tragedy. The central Mediterranean has consistently proven to be one of the deadliest migration routes globally, as highlighted by the IOM on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

The European Union's border agency, Frontex, reported that its plane had located the partially deflated rubber boat on Thursday evening within Libya's search and rescue zone. Frontex emphasized that adverse weather conditions, with waves reaching heights of 2.5 meters (8.2 feet), put the people on the boat in severe danger. Alarm Phone, a hotline for distressed migrants, received messages from some of those onboard the boat and immediately alerted authorities, including the Libyan coastguard. Shockingly, the Libyan coastguard allegedly refused to search for the migrants, according to the information provided by Alarm Phone. However, a spokesman for the Libyan coastguard was unavailable for comment at the time.

Libya has become the primary transit point for migrants escaping war and poverty in Africa and the Middle East, despite the country being in a state of chaos since the NATO-backed uprising that led to the downfall and death of longtime autocrat Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.

The IOM spokesperson, Flavio Di Giacomo, revealed that more than 2,250 people have died on the central European migration route this year alone, emphasizing the need for more actions to save lives at sea. The IOM's missing migrants project recorded that between January 1 and November 18, at least 940 migrants were reported dead and 1,248 missing off the coast of Libya. Additionally, the project documented that over 14,900 migrants, including more than 1,000 women and 530 children, were intercepted and returned to Libya in 2021. In 2022, the project already reported 529 deaths and 848 missing migrants off Libya.

Human traffickers have taken advantage of the chaos in Libya, smuggling migrants across the country's extensive borders with neighboring nations. Ill-equipped vessels, including rubber boats, are used to transport migrants on perilous sea voyages. Those intercepted and returned to Libya are held in government-run detention centers notorious for their widespread abuses, which include forced labor, beatings, rape, and torture. U.N.-commissioned investigators have classified these practices as crimes against humanity. Furthermore, extortion from the families of imprisoned migrants has become a common occurrence before allowing them to depart Libya on human traffickers' boats destined for Europe.

In the latest incident, the IOM's Libya office reported that approximately 61 migrants are missing and presumed dead after their boat sank due to high waves. Most of the victims, including women and children, hailed from Nigeria, Gambia, and other African countries. The IOM office stated that 25 survivors have been rescued and transferred to a Libyan detention center, where they received medical support and are in good condition.

The dangerous journey across the Mediterranean Sea has claimed the lives of countless migrants, and the situation shows no signs of improvement. Italy, a primary destination for migrants departing from Libya and Tunisia, has seen more than 153,000 arrivals this year, according to the United Nations refugee agency. The issue of illegal migration became a focal point in Italy's political landscape, leading to the election of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who pledged to halt the influx of migrants into the country. Unfortunately, the violence and instability in Libya over the past decade have only fueled the activities of human traffickers, who subject migrants to various forms of abuse, including extortion and slavery. The international community must take urgent action to address the root causes of migration and ensure the safety and well-being of those embarking on perilous journeys in search of a better life.