At least 32 migrants, including Bangladeshis, survived after a boat capsized off the coast of Libya, while more than 70 others are “feared dead”, according to a report by The New York Times.
Quoting survivors, the report said over 100 people had been on board the vessel, which left Libya’s Tajoura port between Friday night and Saturday morning, attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.
The survivors, all men from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Egypt, were rescued by a commercial ship and later taken near Lampedusa, Italy. Two bodies were also recovered, the report said.
They told rescuers that the boat encountered rough weather and high waves before taking on water and capsizing just hours into the journey, while still in Libyan waters.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), the number of missing could exceed 70, though the figures are yet to be verified.
A German rescue group, Sea-Watch, said its aircraft spotted the aftermath of the disaster, including an overturned boat, people clinging to it, and bodies in the water.
Italian and Libyan authorities coordinated the rescue operation, involving multiple vessels, before transferring survivors to shore.
Officials noted that the migrants had attempted the dangerous crossing in a small and unsuitable boat, underscoring the risks of such journeys.