Libya Shipwreck
TRIPOLI: In a devastating turn of events, at least 60 migrants — including Pakistani nationals — are feared dead after two separate shipwrecks occurred off the coast of Libya over the past week, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The incidents have once again highlighted the perilous journey undertaken by migrants hoping to reach Europe through the Mediterranean route.
The first tragedy occurred on June 12 near the Libyan capital Tripoli. According to IOM’s statement issued on Tuesday, the vessel sank with 21 people reported missing, including women and children.
Only five survivors were rescued, while the remaining passengers are presumed dead. The victims were identified as nationals from several countries, including Eritrea, Pakistan, Egypt, and Sudan.
The second incident took place near Tobruk, around 35 kilometers (20 miles) off the port city. A lone survivor of this shipwreck reported that 39 individuals on board went missing and are now feared drowned. The combined toll from both accidents has raised alarms among humanitarian organizations and governments about the continued risks faced by migrants in the Mediterranean.
Othman Belbeisi, the IOM’s regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, expressed deep concern over the recurring tragedies. He urged the international community to intensify search and rescue missions and to ensure safe and predictable disembarkation procedures for rescued migrants. “With dozens feared dead and entire families left in anguish, we call for urgent action,” Belbeisi stated.
The Mediterranean remains one of the world’s deadliest migration routes. According to the IOM, at least 743 individuals have lost their lives attempting to cross into Europe so far this year.
The organization attributes the rising death toll to increasingly dangerous smuggling tactics, reduced rescue capabilities, and mounting restrictions on humanitarian operations in the region.
Earlier in April, Pakistan’s Foreign Office confirmed the deaths of four Pakistani nationals in a separate shipwreck off Libya’s Harawa coast, near Sirte. That incident claimed a total of 11 lives and further underscored the growing number of Pakistanis dying in recent months while attempting irregular migration via sea.
In response to these tragedies, Lahore’s renowned Islamic seminary, Jamia Naeemia, issued a religious decree condemning illegal migration. The fatwa, authored by Dr. Mufti Raghib Hussain Naeemi and Mufti Imran Hanfi, declared that using unlawful means to travel abroad not only contravenes state laws but also violates Islamic teachings. The scholars warned that endangering one’s life or taking steps that may result in death is against the principles of Shariah.
“Suicide or any action that jeopardizes one’s life is strictly forbidden in Islam,” the decree stated, urging people to seek legal and safe avenues for international travel. The scholars also emphasized the responsibility of families and society to discourage youth from putting their lives at risk in pursuit of uncertain futures abroad.
As these tragic shipwrecks continue to claim lives, urgent policy and humanitarian interventions are needed to address the root causes of irregular migration and provide migrants with safer, legal alternatives.
