Context: A boat carrying over 60 Europe-bound migrants, including women and children, capsized off the coast of Libya.

Migrant vessel capsizes off Libya

• The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that the shipwreck occurred near the town of Zuwara on Libya’s western coast.
• The IOM estimates that more than 2,200 people have drowned till December 2023 this year, making it one of the most dangerous migration routes in the world.
• Libya is among the main departure points for migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean and enter Europe.

About Libya

• Libya, a predominantly desert nation with significant oil reserves, gained independence in 1951.
• Geography and Population: Libya, situated in North Africa, primarily consists of the vast Sahara desert. 
• The majority of its population resides along the coastal areas, where key cities like Tripoli and Benghazi are located.
• Libya is geographically defined by its boundaries:
• • North: Bordered by the Mediterranean Sea.
  • East: Shares a border with Egypt.
  • South: Shares boundaries with Niger and Chad.
  • West: Bordered by Tunisia and Algeria.
• Capital: Tripoli
• Language: Arabic