ALBAWABA- At least 61 Sudanese refugees died after a migrant boat caught fire off the Libyan coast in the central Mediterranean, according to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR).
The vessel, which had been at sea for five days with 74 people on board, burst into flames before rescue teams could reach it.
Only 13 survivors were pulled from the water and treated for injuries, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Wednesday.
The tragedy highlights once again the dangers facing migrants who use Libya as a transit point in their attempt to reach Europe.
The central Mediterranean remains one of the world’s deadliest migration routes, with hundreds of people dying each year.
This marks the second major disaster within a month. In August, at least 27 migrants lost their lives after two boats capsized while en route from Libya to Italy.
Italian authorities rescued about 60 survivors off the island of Lampedusa, though dozens remain missing.
