Tripoli, November 18 (Darfur24)
New details have emerged revealing that 67 Sudanese, including eight children, were among the victims of two boats that capsized off the coast of Al-Khums in western Libya, according to the Libyan Red Crescent.
In a statement on its official Facebook page, the Red Crescent said one boat carried 26 Bangladeshi migrants, four of whom drowned. The second vessel held 69 people—two Egyptians and the rest Sudanese, including eight children.
Emergency and body-recovery teams responded Thursday night after reports of the two overturned boats near Al-Khums beach. Rescue operations were conducted in coordination with the Libyan Coast Guard and the Port Security Service, and the bodies recovered were handed over to the authorities under instructions from the Public Prosecutor.
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Libya expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, noting that many of the Sudanese passengers had fled the war after witnessing severe atrocities and facing dire humanitarian conditions.
“These recurring tragedies remind us of the scale of desperation that drives so many to risk their lives across the sea,” the agency said, urging urgent measures to end the conflict in Sudan and expand safe, legal migration pathways, including evacuations from Libya.
Deadly migrant journeys have become increasingly frequent. Earlier this month, a boat capsized in the Mediterranean, killing 42 migrants, 29 of them Sudanese, with only seven survivors. In December 2024, about 74 refugees—mostly Sudanese—drowned, while dozens remain missing. Another incident in October resulted in 18 deaths and 91 rescues near Tobruk.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Libyan Coast Guard intercepted 568 migrants between November 2 and 8 alone. The Coast Guard intercepted 17,190 migrants in 2023, 21,762 in 2024, and 23,513 from January to November 2025.
Libya continues to host a large Sudanese refugee population. UNHCR figures from September indicate roughly 357,000 Sudanese are currently in the country, including 193,000 in Al-Kufra near the Sudanese border, 80,000 in Tripoli, 10,000 in Benghazi, and thousands more in Misrata, Zawiya, Jafara, Derna, Tobruk, and the Green Mountain region.