CAIRO: At least 74 migrants drowned after their Europe-bound ship capsized off the coast of Libya on Thursday, the UN’s migration agency said.
The boat was carrying over 120 migrants, including women and children, when it capsized off the coast of the Libyan port of al-Khums, said the International Organization for Migration.
Only 47 people were rescued by the Libyan coast guard and fishermen and brought to shore.
So far 31 bodies were retrieved as the search for the remaining victims continued, added the IOM.
In the years since the 2011 uprising that ousted and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi, war-torn Libya has emerged as the dominant transit point for migrants hoping to get to Europe from Africa and the Middle East.
(With inputs from Agencies)
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