Malik Waqar
Another vessel carrying around 65 passengers, including Pakistanis, capsized off the coast of Libya, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FO) confirmed on Monday.
In a statement, the FO revealed that the Pakistan Embassy in Tripoli reported the incident, stating that the vessel, carrying approximately 65 passengers, sank near the port of Marsa Dela, located northwest of Zawiya city in Libya.
The embassy has immediately dispatched a team to Zawiya Hospital to assist local authorities with the identification of the deceased.
The statement also noted that the embassy is working to gather more information about the Pakistani nationals affected by the incident.
It remains unclear whether the passengers on board the vessel were migrants..
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has activated its Crisis Management Unit to monitor the situation closely, coordinating with local officials and offering assistance where necessary.
For individuals seeking information or assistance regarding the incident, the Ministry has provided contact numbers for inquiries.
0305 2185882(WhatsApp)
+218913870577(Cell)
+218 91-6425435(WhatsApp)
This development comes after a similar incident last month, when a boat carrying 80 passengers capsized near Morocco.
The ill-fated vessel was carrying 86 migrants, with Moroccan authorities reporting that 66 of the passengers were Pakistani nationals. Following the incident, 36 people were rescued by Moroccan authorities.
The Pakistani embassy in Morocco worked with local officials to facilitate the identification process. Fingerprint data and photographs were shared with NADRA, which verified the identities of the victims. Once the confirmation was completed, official lists were compiled and released.
In the wake of the tragedy, strong reactions have emerged from the Pakistani government, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directing authorities to take stern action against human traffickers and officials involved in facilitating illegal migration.
Earlier this month, former FIA Director General Ahmed Ishaque Jehangir removed 35 officials for their involvement in facilitating human smuggling operations and failing to perform their duties effectively.
