Two shipwrecks off Libya have left fifteen dead, said the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), a new tragedy of illegal immigration in the Mediterranean.
“
Tragic death.
The bodies of 15 people were recovered as two boats arrived at the Tripoli naval base this evening,
”UNHCR said on its Twitter account overnight Monday to Tuesday.
"
177 survivors have received aid, some in need of urgent medical assistance from UNHCR and its partners,
" according to the same source.
"
The passengers had left the day before from Zwara and Alkhoms
", two towns on the west coast of Libya.
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UNHCR released footage of the survivors, huddled under blankets after their rescue, looking exhausted.
Libya is an important crossing point for tens of thousands of migrants, mostly from Saharan African countries, seeking each year to reach Europe via the Italian coasts, some 300 km away.
The number of migrants who died at sea trying to reach Europe has more than doubled this year compared to the same period in 2020, according to figures from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) released in July.
In September, IOM counted 1,369 migrants drowned in the Mediterranean since the start of the year.
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This new tragedy of illegal immigration comes about ten days after a raid carried out by the authorities in the suburbs of Tripoli, which mainly targeted irregular migrants.
At least 5,000 migrants and refugees have been arrested.