ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Office confirmed on Tuesday that 16 Pakistani nationals have been confirmed dead when a boat carrying 63 Pakistanis capsized off the Libyan coast on February 7. Their identities were verified based on their passports, according to Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan.
The spokesperson said that 63 Pakistanis were on board the vessel that capsized near Libya’s Marsa Dela port. So far, 16 bodies have been recovered, and their Pakistani nationality has been established based on their passports.
Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said that there are 37 survivors, with one receiving medical treatment in a hospital and 33 in police custody. He added that around 10 Pakistanis remain missing after the tragedy.
“Our embassy in Tripoli is actively coordinating with local authorities to gather more details. Three Pakistani survivors are currently in Tripoli and are being looked after by the Pakistani Embassy,” the spokesperson said.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif conveyed his condolences over the loss of lives. In a statement, he directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to expedite the identification process and ensure that all necessary assistance is provided to affected Pakistanis. He also called for strict action against human traffickers responsible for such tragedies.
On Monday, the Foreign Office said that the Crisis Management Unit had been activated to monitor the situation closely. “Our embassy in Tripoli has dispatched a team to Zawiya hospital to assist with the identification of the deceased and provide support to the survivors,” the FO said in a statement.
The boat, which was reportedly carrying around 65 passengers, sank near Libya’s western city of Zawiya on Saturday.
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This incident is the latest in a series of tragedies involving Pakistanis attempting to migrate to Europe via dangerous sea routes. Just last month, a boat carrying 80 passengers capsized near Morocco, resulting in the confirmed deaths of 13 Pakistanis.
Pakistan’s authorities have been taking action against human smugglers involved in such cases. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has dismissed 50 officials for allegedly facilitating illegal migration and blacklisted 65 others from serving at immigration checkpoints.
The Mediterranean remains one of the deadliest migration routes. In June 2023, an Italy-bound fishing trawler carrying around 800 people capsized off Greece, with estimates suggesting that up to 300 Pakistanis were among the victims.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that in 2024 alone, at least 674 migrants have died, and over 1,000 remain missing off Libya’s coast. Many of those intercepted by Libyan authorities end up in detention centres, according to UN investigations.
