ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office confirmed on Tuesday that 16 Pakistani nationals lost their lives in a tragic boat accident off the Libyan coast, with at least 10 others still unaccounted for.
The confirmation followed a visit by a team from the Pakistani embassy in Tripoli to the city of Zawiya, where they coordinated with local authorities and hospital officials to verify details.
Reports first surfaced on Monday indicating that a vessel carrying around 70 passengers, primarily Pakistanis, had capsized. Unverified accounts suggested that 63 of the passengers were of Pakistani origin.
According to the Foreign Office, 16 bodies have been recovered and their identities confirmed through their passports. Meanwhile, 37 individuals survived the accident, including one currently receiving medical treatment and 33 others in police custody. Three survivors are in Tripoli under the care of the Pakistani embassy.
The official statement also noted that at least 10 Pakistani nationals remain missing. Efforts are ongoing to gather further details, and embassy officials are in constant communication with Libyan authorities regarding the situation.
A list of the deceased was released, revealing that most of them hailed from Kurram district, an area impacted by sectarian unrest. The identified victims include:
- Kurram district: Saqlain Haider, Shoaib Hussain, Nusrat Hussain, Shoaib Ali, Sayed Shehzad Hussain, Abid Hussain, Asif Ali, Musawir Hussain, Aswar Hussain, Musaib Hussain, Ashfaq Hussain, and Shahid Hussain
- Other regions: Anis Khan (Peshawar), Muhammad Ali Shah (Orakzai), and Siraj Uddin (Bajaur)
A Series of Migrant Disasters
This marks the third major migrant tragedy in recent months. In January, 13 Pakistanis were among the casualties when a boat carrying 80 passengers sank near Morocco’s Dakhla port. In December, 47 Pakistanis were rescued following boat accidents near Crete, Greece, though five others lost their lives.
The most devastating incident occurred in 2023 when over 350 Pakistanis perished after an overcrowded boat, carrying hundreds of migrants, sank en route to Greece from Tobruk, Libya.
According to Pakistan’s National Commission for Human Rights, at least 6,000 Pakistanis attempted illegal crossings to Europe in 2023. However, other estimates suggest the number could be as high as 40,000 annually.
Many Pakistanis pay large sums to human traffickers in the hopes of reaching Europe for better economic prospects. The Mediterranean remains one of the most perilous migration routes, frequently claiming lives in such tragic incidents.
Official Response
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, urging authorities to swiftly identify the victims and assist their families. He also ordered strict action against human trafficking networks responsible for these dangerous journeys.
