Many Displaced Sudanese Feared Dead After Shipwreck Near Libya

At least 42 migrants presumed lost after a rubber boat capsized off the Libyan coast

Earlier this month, a flimsy rubber boat carrying dozens of migrants sank in the waters off Libya’s shoreline. Rescue teams recovered only a handful of bodies, and officials now estimate that 42 people are presumed dead.

Most of the passengers were fleeing the violent conflict that has engulfed Sudan since April, seeking safety in Europe. The desperate journey across the Mediterranean has become increasingly perilous as smugglers use overcrowded, unseaworthy vessels to transport refugees.

Libyan authorities, together with international humanitarian organisations, launched a search‑and‑rescue operation immediately after the capsizing. Survivors reported that the boat was overloaded and that rough seas caused it to overturn within minutes of leaving the coast.

The tragedy highlights the growing humanitarian crisis affecting Sudanese displaced persons and the broader challenges faced by migrants attempting the dangerous crossing to Europe.