Pakistan’s Foreign Office said Monday that its embassy in Libya is gathering details of Pakistanis affected after a vessel carrying around 65 passengers capsized near Marsa Dela port.
“Our embassy in Tripoli has informed that a vessel carrying approximately 65 passengers capsized near the port of Marsa Dela, northwest of Zawiya city, Libya,” the FO said in a statement.
The embassy has sent a team to Zawiya hospital to assist local authorities in identifying the deceased, the statement added. Officials are still trying to determine if any Pakistanis were among the victims.
It remains unclear whether the passengers were migrants. The FO said its Crisis Management Unit has been activated to monitor the situation and provided contact numbers for inquiries.
Rising migrant deaths in Libya
The incident comes amid a string of deadly migrant boat tragedies. Just last week, at least 29 bodies were recovered in Libya.
Libyan authorities found 19 bodies in a mass grave on a farm in Jikharra, southeast of Benghazi, linked to smuggling activities. Separately, 10 bodies were recovered from the sea after a boat sank off Dila port in Zawiya—the same city mentioned in the FO’s statement.
Libya has become a major transit hub for migrants attempting to reach Europe. Many risk the dangerous Mediterranean crossing, often relying on human traffickers.
Pakistanis among past victims
Pakistanis have frequently been victims of migrant boat disasters.
In January, around 40 Pakistanis died in incidents off Greece, while 35 others remain missing. Last June, an Italy-bound trawler carrying 800 people capsized off Greece, with up to 300 Pakistanis feared dead.
Authorities in Pakistan have intensified efforts to crack down on human smuggling. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has dismissed 50 officials for alleged collusion with traffickers and blacklisted 65 more from immigration posts.
In response to the rising tragedies, FIA introduced stricter screening measures at airports. In January, 2,500 passengers were offloaded at Lahore airport alone.
Pakistan’s government has urged its citizens to avoid illegal migration routes, warning of the dangers posed by traffickers and unsafe sea journeys.
*With input from Reuters
