Thousands have died, and many thousands more rescued, trying to cross the Mediterranean. Photo: BBC
Five Bangladeshi nationals were among those killedafter two boats
carrying about 500 migrants sank off Libya, confirms a Bangladesh’s
embassy official from Tunisia.
At least 200 migrants lost their lives in the accident, United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) told BBC Bangla.
Mozammel Haque,Charge de Affaires of Bangladesh embassy in Libya, told BBC Bangla from Tunisia that there were 31 Bangladeshis on the two boats that sank after leaving Zuwara.
Two children were among the deceased, he added.
Most of the Bangladeshis could be rescued as they were wearing life-jackets, he also said.
Thirty-one Bangladeshis including four families were trying to go to Italy on a boat from Libya’s Zuwara,BBC Bangla quoted Mozammel Haque as saying.
A six-month-old baby and a six-year-old child died on the spot and four members of two of the families were still missing. The rest remained afloat throughout the night by their life-jackets and were rescued early in the morning, Mozammel added.
Embassy officials from Tunisia have spoken to all the families affected by the accident.
Two families used to reside in Sirat while the other two lived in Tripoli. All the families lived in Libya for a long time and their children were born in that country.
Since Libya’s condition deteriorated due to political turmoil and insurgency, the families were looking for a safer route to Italy by sea, Mozammel added.
The boats sank on Thursday after leaving Zuwara, a major launch pad on the Libyan coast for migrants hoping to reach Italy, added BBC World.
The UN says about 2,400 migrants have died trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe so far this year.
More than 100,000 others have landed in Italy, whilst another 160,000 have crossed to Greece.
The Libyan coast guard worked overnight on Thursday to search for survivors from the latest tragedy.
But Libya is poorly equipped to carry out rescue operations as the ships available to its coastguard are small, BBC North Africa correspondent Rana Jawad reports from Tunis.
At least 100 bodies were taken to a hospital in Zuwara, west of Tripoli, a resident told the BBC.
The victims included migrants from Syria, Bangladesh and several sub-Saharan African countries, the resident said, but the information could not be independently verified.
A detention facility for illegal migrants in Sabratha, west of Tripoli, received 147 people, an official told Reuters.
At least 200 migrants lost their lives in the accident, United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) told BBC Bangla.
Mozammel Haque,Charge de Affaires of Bangladesh embassy in Libya, told BBC Bangla from Tunisia that there were 31 Bangladeshis on the two boats that sank after leaving Zuwara.
Two children were among the deceased, he added.
Most of the Bangladeshis could be rescued as they were wearing life-jackets, he also said.
Thirty-one Bangladeshis including four families were trying to go to Italy on a boat from Libya’s Zuwara,BBC Bangla quoted Mozammel Haque as saying.
A six-month-old baby and a six-year-old child died on the spot and four members of two of the families were still missing. The rest remained afloat throughout the night by their life-jackets and were rescued early in the morning, Mozammel added.
Embassy officials from Tunisia have spoken to all the families affected by the accident.
Two families used to reside in Sirat while the other two lived in Tripoli. All the families lived in Libya for a long time and their children were born in that country.
Since Libya’s condition deteriorated due to political turmoil and insurgency, the families were looking for a safer route to Italy by sea, Mozammel added.
The boats sank on Thursday after leaving Zuwara, a major launch pad on the Libyan coast for migrants hoping to reach Italy, added BBC World.
The UN says about 2,400 migrants have died trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe so far this year.
More than 100,000 others have landed in Italy, whilst another 160,000 have crossed to Greece.
The Libyan coast guard worked overnight on Thursday to search for survivors from the latest tragedy.
But Libya is poorly equipped to carry out rescue operations as the ships available to its coastguard are small, BBC North Africa correspondent Rana Jawad reports from Tunis.
At least 100 bodies were taken to a hospital in Zuwara, west of Tripoli, a resident told the BBC.
The victims included migrants from Syria, Bangladesh and several sub-Saharan African countries, the resident said, but the information could not be independently verified.
A detention facility for illegal migrants in Sabratha, west of Tripoli, received 147 people, an official told Reuters.
