Mediterranean Tragedies Continue as Dozens Drown Escaping Africa
At least 15 people drowned over the weekend when a boat loaded with over 100 migrants capsized in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Libya. It was the second deadly shipwreck in just over a week, as the perilous escape route from Africa to Europe continues to claim lives. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Libyan coast guard managed to rescue at least 95 people on Sunday, including several children. Many of the survivors were hospitalized for engine fuel burns and hypothermia. Last week, 41 people drowned in a similar incident, with nearly 150 migrants fished out of the water by European volunteer groups patrolling the Libyan shores. The war-torn country, decimated by a decade-long civil war, has become a major departure hub for desperate Africans. According to the IOM, a staggering 20,000 people have died in the Mediterranean since 2014, and the nearly 4,000 refugees that were intercepted at sea and returned to Libya suffer unbearable conditions at local detention centers.