Tunis, 21 April 2016 – Humanitarian Coordinator and Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya, Mr. Ali Al-Za’tari, has urged action following reports from the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) that up to 500 people lost their lives this week when an overcrowded boat carrying hundreds of people capsized en route from Libya to Europe.

“It is just shocking that we hear of this loss of life in such numbers,” said Mr. Al-Za’tari. “Refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants in Libya face inhumane conditions as they are forced to wait to embark on a dangerous sea journey that so often ends in tragedy. The international community cannot abide this loss of life at the hands of people smugglers. This terrible event must be investigated immediately, and I call for an independent investigation by the relevant authorities to bring the culprits to international justice.”

“We are often asked what can be done to ease the plight of the 250,000 very vulnerable refugees and migrants in Libya,” said Mr. Al-Za’tari. “The humanitarian community supporting Libya implements programmes that bring relief to migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers. We stand ready to do more. Our activities include advising people on their rights and their options, and working to keep them out of harm’s way, protected from trafficking rings, exploitation and abuse, including while held in appalling conditions in detention centres. We require funding to continue our protection programmes, and in the wake of this terrible tragedy, I urge donors to make a contribution to this critical humanitarian cause.”

Background

The Humanitarian Country Team working for Libya has tracked a concerning increase in people making the perilous crossing to Europe. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that 24,000 people have departed Libya by sea since the beginning of 2016, 90% more than in the same period in 2015. Although hundreds have been rescued, many are missing and their fate unknown.

UNHCR has called for increased regular pathways for the admission of refugees and asylum-seekers to Europe, including resettlement and humanitarian admission programmes, family reunification, private sponsorship and student and work visas for refugees.