Ten bodies of migrants have been discovered along the Egyptian coastline, prompting the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to issue an urgent appeal to the international community amidst ongoing tragedies along the Mediterranean migration route.
The IOM made its appeal on Tuesday, following the recovery of the ten migrant corpses on the shores of Marsa Matrouh, located in northwestern Egypt. This latest tragedy underscores the persistent migration crisis in North Africa, where the Mediterranean remains one of the deadliest migration corridors globally.
Preliminary reports suggest the victims had departed from neighboring Libya in an attempt to cross the Mediterranean irregularly. In a statement, the IOM described the deaths as a “painful reminder” of the human toll of irregular migration and the urgent need to establish safe, inclusive, and regular pathways for people on the move.
According to the IOM’s Missing Migrants project, over 32,000 people have died in the Mediterranean since 2014, a figure believed to be underestimated due to numerous unrecorded disappearances.
The organization commended the response of the Egyptian authorities, describing it as “humane and in accordance with international humanitarian law”. The IOM reiterated its call for enhanced international cooperation to address the root causes of irregular migration and to ensure the protection of human lives.
SL/ac/sf/lb/abj/APA