A boat carrying 13 Egyptian migrants to Europe capsized off the coast of Libya on Monday evening, killing all on board except for one survivor, local authorities reported on Tuesday, 29 October.
The Directorate for Combating Illegal Migration in Tobruk confirmed that the boat capsized 60 kilometers (37 miles) east of Tobruk. Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigration has not yet commented on the incident.
In recent years, the Central Mediterranean Route has witnessed a surge in irregular migration, often culminating in tragic shipwrecks. Egyptians, constituting seven percent of arrivals to Italy in 2023, were the fifth-most common nationality among arrivals in Italy in the same year.
Despite the well-known dangers and risks, many young Egyptians and their families continue to pursue irregular migration in hopes of better job opportunities and living conditions.
Although Egyptian authorities have successfully curbed migrant boat departures from the north coast since 2016, smugglers continue to facilitate departures through neighboring Libya.
The Egyptian government has undertaken significant efforts to mitigate the adverse impacts of irregular migration. A key initiative is the Life Saving Boats program, which seeks to increase public awareness of the risks associated with irregular migration, promote safe and legal migration channels, and provide positive alternatives to Egyptian youth.
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