Tragedy at Sea: 42 Missing After Migrant Boat Capsizes Near Libya

A migrant boat capsized off Libya's coast, leaving 42 missing and presumed dead. Seven survivors were rescued after being stranded for days. The tragedy highlights the ongoing migrant crisis in the Mediterranean, with Libya as a significant transit point despite its ongoing unrest since Gadhafi's downfall.

In a tragic incident last week, a boat carrying migrants capsized off the coast of Libya, leaving at least 42 people missing and presumed dead, according to the United Nations' migration agency.

After the vessel's engine failed during high waves on the dawn of November 3, seven survivors were discovered by Libyan authorities near the al-Buri Oil Field six days later. The boat, which set out from Zuwara, was reportedly carrying 47 men and two women of various nationalities, including Sudanese, Somalis, Cameroonians, and Nigerians.

This heartbreaking incident adds to the perilous conditions faced by migrants in the Central Mediterranean, where more than 1,000 lives have been lost in 2023 alone, including over 500 off Libya's shores, amidst ongoing political instability since the fall of Moammar Gadhafi.

(With inputs from agencies.)