Tragedy Strikes in Heartbreaking Mediterranean Shipwreck

In a devastating incident off the coast of Libya, 61 migrants, including women and children, lost their lives in what has been described as a "tragic shipwreck," according to the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Survivor accounts shared by the IOM's Libya office revealed that the ill-fated boat had departed from the coastal city of Zuwara, located west of the capital Tripoli and merely 60 km (37 miles) from the Tunisian border, carrying approximately 86 people.

Highlighting the perilous nature of the central Mediterranean migration route, the UN agency emphasized, "The central Mediterranean continues to be one of the world’s most dangerous migration routes."

CNN has reached out to the UN IOM’s office in Libya to obtain further details on this heartbreaking incident.

Libya serves as a crucial transit point along the Central Mediterranean route, witnessing tens of thousands of people crossing its borders each year. Tragically, incidents at sea are not uncommon as individuals, escaping conflict, strive for better lives.

According to the latest figures released by the UN refugee agency UNHCR, the Central Mediterranean has witnessed over 2,500 deaths or disappearances this year alone, underscoring the alarming risks faced by migrants. The agency also expressed concern that the numbers in other parts of the world are likely to be exceedingly high.