JAKARTA - As many as 74 refugees died in the Mediterranean Sea, Thursday, November 12. They were adrift due to the shipwreck. There are major problems with migrant policies in many countries of the world today.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) urges the Libyan government to immediately open access and allow foreign agencies to participate in the operation to rescue refugees, especially when they face problems at sea. The tragedy on the Khums coast has become an important reflection of refugee policies in many countries of the world.
The shipwreck previously carried a total of 120 passengers, including women and children. The Libyan search and rescue (SAR) team along with local fishermen have found 30 bodies of refugees.
The search effort is still continuing. Since the beginning of October 2020, IOM has reported eight shipwreck incidents which have caused dozens of refugees to die at sea.
"Restrictions for the sake of restriction on NGO work related to rescue efforts must be immediately lifted. This is because their intervention is important and in line with the obligation to save lives," IOM said, via a written broadcast, Friday, November 13.
Photo illustration of rescued immigrants bobbing in Spanish sea territory (Source: Antara)
Authorities in Libya have set up special search and rescue areas that restrict foreign agencies from carrying out rescue operations against refugees facing problems at sea. According to IOM, Libyan rescue squads have a limited capacity and number of members so that often rescue operations are hampered.
"At least this year, about 90 people drowned in the Mediterranean Sea as they attempted to cross into Europe. Many of them died because of the slow pace of the rescue operation," IOM said.
Not only that, around 19 refugees, among them children, died when their ship sank in Mediterranean waters in the last three days, IOM added. So far, the rescue operation has only been carried out by the Libyan SAR team, which has received training and financial assistance from member countries of the European Union.
Meanwhile, from non-governmental circles, the Open Arms is the only NGO-owned ship operating on the crossing routes for refugees, especially around Mediterranean waters. Regarding this issue, IOM asked the authorities in Libya to immediately revise the special search and rescue zone policy.
"IOM requested that the Search and Rescue zone in Libya be revised, allowing international agencies to participate in carrying out rescue operations," IOM said.
Cooperation between agencies in rescue efforts is an important point conveyed by IOM, especially after the UN agency noted the increase in the number of refugees departing from Libya to European countries in the last few months. Since October 2020, IOM reports that 1,900 people have been driven to continue sailing and returned to Libya and 780 other refugees are reported to have arrived in Italy.
Libya is the main point of departure for refugees from countries in Africa to Europe, particularly Malta, Italy and Greece. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) urged the Libyan government to immediately open access and allow foreign agencies to participate in the operation to rescue refugees, especially when they face problems at sea.
The request was conveyed by IOM, an international agency under the auspices of the United Nations, when responding to reports of 74 refugees who died because their boat sank in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea near the coast of Khums, Libya, Thursday, November 12.
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