ISLAMABAD: Six young men from Pakistan’s northwestern Bajaur district are among dozens feared dead after a migrant boat capsized off the coast of Libya, relatives said on Tuesday, highlighting the continued toll of illegal migration routes to Europe.
The vessel, carrying around 115 passengers, overturned late Sunday along the central Mediterranean route, one of the world’s deadliest migration corridors. Survivor accounts suggest only about 30 people were rescued, while international maritime officials fear at least 73 are dead. The total number of Pakistani casualties has not been officially confirmed.
The incident is the latest in a series of tragedies involving migrants departing from Libya toward Europe, as thousands attempt perilous sea crossings each year driven by economic hardship and limited opportunities at home.
In the village of Inayat Kalay in Bajaur, families have begun an agonizing wait to repatriate the bodies of loved ones who left in search of a better future.
Among the victims was 35-year-old Nadeem Khan, a father of four who had left Pakistan eight months ago hoping to reach the United Kingdom.
