Another vessel carrying about 65 passengers, including Pakistanis, hijacked off the coast of Libya, confirmed the Foreign Ministry (FO) on Monday.
In a statement, FO revealed that Pakistan ambassy in Tripoli reported the incident and said the ship carrying about 65 passengers sank near the port of Marsa Dela, located northwest of Zawiya City in Libya.
The embassy immediately sent a team to Zawiya Hospital to help local authorities with the deceased identification.
The statement also noted that the embassy is working to collect more information about the Pakistani citizens affected by the incident.
It remains unclear if the passengers on board the vessel were migrants ..
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has activated its crisis management unit to monitor the situation closely, coordinate with local officials and offer help 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 enclosed near Morocco.
The bad vessel transported 86 migrants, with Moroccan authorities reporting that 66 of the passengers were Pakistani citizens. After the incident, 36 people were rescued by Moroccan authorities.
The Pakistani Embassy in Morocco cooperated with local officials to facilitate the identification process. Fingerprint data and photographs were shared with Nadra confirming the victims’ identity. Once the confirmation was completed, official lists were prepared and released.
In the wake of the tragedy, strong reactions have emerged from the Pakistani government, where Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif instructs authorities to take strict action against traffickers and officials involved in facilitating illegal migration.
Earlier this month, former FIA Head of Director Ahmed Ishaque Jehangir removed 35 officials for their commitment to facilitating human smuggling and failing to perform their tasks effectively.
