Irish Naval personnel from the LÉ Eithne rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean, June 2015 (Credit: Wikipedia / Irish Defence Forces)

By  Gary   Raynaldo    DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

UNITED  NATIONS  –   NEW  YORK  –      The UN reported Thursday that at least 70 migrants have gone missing at sea and are presumed dead off the coast of Libya.  According to the UN migration agency, on 12 March, a boat reportedly carrying 25 migrants capsized near the Libyan coast of Tobruk and while authorities rescued six people and recovered seven bodies, 12 others remain missing. 

At least 70 migrants reported dead or missing off Libya. #IOM continues to call for international cooperation to save lives and prevent migrant deaths. To read more: https://t.co/Tv0Z2KnSwb@IOM_Libya @UNmigration pic.twitter.com/2WPUScYDaj

— IOM MENA (@IOM_MENA) March 17, 2022

The latest incident brings the total number of migrants reported dead or missing in the Central Mediterranean up to 215 this year, according to IOM’s Missing Migrants Project.    Libya has long been a launching pad for migrants fleeing from war-torn, poverty-stricken  countries with dreams of sailing the rough seas to  Europe for a better life.