Guardian: Dozens feared dead as migrant boat capsizes in Mediterranean

“The boat may be the same sinking vessel that was detected earlier in the day by Alarm Phone, a group of Europe-based activists who take calls from stricken asylum seekers and refer their coordinates to coastguards.

Alarm Phone took a call at 8.45am CET from a boat of refugees in waters north of Zuwara, reporting that a second boat was sinking nearby, though the group said: “It is difficult for us to know for sure that this is the same shipwreck.” Nevertheless, the group believes those they spoke to were Syrian – the first sign since the start of the EU-Turkey deal that Syrians are beginning to use Libya as springboard to Europe.

An activist with Alarm Phone said: “The guy we were speaking to was Syrian, and he said that most of the people on the boat were Syrians and Iraqis. The people around him were talking in a Syrian dialect, mostly north-eastern Syria. Additionally, we are monitoring Facebook pages in Arabic and we are witnessing lately that there are a lot of people arriving in Libya and willing to go to Europe.””

External Link: Guardian: Dozens feared dead as migrant boat capsizes in Mediterranean

Alarmphone on X

Five weeks ago, Alarm Phone responded to a distress situation off #Libya. What then ensued was a disastrous failure of rescue coordination, leading to several deaths & forced returns to Libya. Read our joint report with SOS Mediterranee! @SOSMedIntl

🆘 ca. 40 people in distress in the Central Med!
We were alerted about a boat with ca. 40 people on board who fled from Qarabulli, #Libya on Thursday night. Unfortunately we have no news and don't know what happened to them. Authorities are alerted and should search for the boat!

🆘 44 people in distress in Maltese/Italian Search and Rescue zone!

The people say they have been at sea for 6 days already and have no water left. We have informed relevant authorities and urge them to rescue without further delay!

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