New shipwreck in the Mediterranean: at least 100 migrants drowned off the Libyan coast

After hours of intense research, at least 100 migrants have been found dead after sinking in the Mediterranean off Libya. The ship was reported in distress on Wednesday evening.

“Today, after hours of research, our worst fear has become a reality. The crew of the Ocean Viking must have witnessed the devastating consequences of an inflatable boat wreck northeast of Tripoli “, reported the NGO SOS Mediterranee.

The European Maritime Humanitarian Organization has indicated that about 130 people could have been wrecked on the boat.

He also indicated that during the last 48 hours, the civilian hotline had alerted the NGO a total of three vessels in distress in international waters off the Libyan coast. “All were more than ten hours from our position when the alerts were received. We are looking for two of these boats, one after the other, in a race against time and with very rough seas, with waves of up to six meters. In the absence of effective coordination from the state, three merchant ships and the Ocean Viking cooperated to organize the search in extremely difficult sea conditions ”.

“While we were searching relentlessly, and without receiving the support of the responsible maritime authorities, the merchant vessel MY ROSE saw three bodies in the water. A Frontex plane shortly after spotted the wreckage of an inflatable boat. Since we arrived at the scene today, we have not found any survivors, while we were able to see at least ten bodies near the sinking, ”added SOS Meditarranee in its press release.

This tragedy comes a day after the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported the deaths of a woman and child in a crowded inflatable boat. “Who has been intercepted by the Libyan Coast Guard in international waters, returned to Libyan shores and arbitrarily detained, where many suffer unspeakable violence and abuse.”

After receiving the first alert, the Ocean Viking team spent all day looking for a wooden boat yesterday. However, so far, rescuers have not been able to find his whereabouts: “The fate of the 40 or so people on board remains unknown.”

“This is the reality in the central Mediterranean: more than 350 people have already lost their lives in this expanse of sea this year, not to mention the dozens who perished in the sinking we witnessed today. States are relinquishing their responsibility to coordinate search and rescue operations, leaving private actors and civil society to fill the deadly void they leave behind. We can see the result of this deliberate inaction in the sea around our ship. “, concluded SOS Méditerranée.

“We are saddened by this latest tragedy and renew our call to states to redeploy search and rescue vessels in the Mediterranean,” IOM said on social media.

“130 people drowned in an avoidable shipwreck. Ocean Viking found dozens of bodies floating beside the capsized boat. The responsible maritime authorities had been alerted 48 hours previously and had NOTHING to prevent it. Europe will be judged ”, Open Arms added.

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