As many as 60 people are feared to have drowned in the Mediterranean in the latest deadly incident facing migrants heading to Europe from Libya.
The charity group SOS Mediterranee said it rescued 25 people in a "very weak" condition in co-ordination with the Italian Coastguard on Wednesday and two unconscious survivors were flown to Sicily by helicopter.
Survivors told the group about 60 people had already died before rescuers had found them.
"The survivors departed from Zawiya, Libya, seven days before they were rescued," SOS Mediterranee posted on the social media platform X.
"Their engine broke after three days, leaving their boat lost, adrift without water and food for days. Survivors report that at least 60 people perished on the way, including women and at least one child."
Libya is a common departure point for migrants seeking a better life in Europe but the route across the central Mediterranean is one of the world's most dangerous maritime migration routes.
According to the UN migration agency (IOM), almost 2,500 migrants using it died or went missing last year and 226 since the start of 2024.
The IOM said it was "deeply troubled" by the latest report.
"Urgent action is needed to strengthen maritime patrols and prevent further tragedies," it said on X.
In a post on X on Wednesday, the SOS Mediterranee said its Ocean Viking vessel had evacuated 25 people spotted using binoculars who were on a rubber boat drifting in the Libyan search-and-rescue area.
Italy and other EU governments are trying to curb the number of sea migrants making the crossing from North Africa and have offered money and equipment to Libya and Tunisia in an attempt to prevent departures from their shores.
Data from the Italian Interior Ministry shows 5,968 migrants have arrived by sea so far this year, down from 19,937 at the same stage in 2023.
There was no immediate comment from the Italian Coastguard.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
More from Mohammed Alardhi
The Bio
Favourite place in UAE: Al Rams pearling village
What one book should everyone read: Any book written before electricity was invented. When a writer willingly worked under candlelight, you know he/she had a real passion for their craft
Your favourite type of pearl: All of them. No pearl looks the same and each carries its own unique characteristics, like humans
Best time to swim in the sea: When there is enough light to see beneath the surface
The years Ramadan fell in May
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five pillars of Islam
The five pillars of Islam
more from Janine di Giovanni
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
The five pillars of Islam
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The Byblos iftar in numbers
29 or 30 days – the number of iftar services held during the holy month
50 staff members required to prepare an iftar
200 to 350 the number of people served iftar nightly
160 litres of the traditional Ramadan drink, jalab, is served in total
500 litres of soup is served during the holy month
200 kilograms of meat is used for various dishes
350 kilograms of onion is used in dishes
5 minutes – the average time that staff have to eat
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to become a Boglehead
Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.
• Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.
• Invest early, invest often. It takes time to grow your wealth on the stock market. The sooner you begin, the better.
• Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.
• Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.
• Keep charges low. The biggest drag on investment performance is all the charges you pay to advisers and active fund managers.
• Keep it simple. Complexity is your enemy. You can build a balanced, diversified portfolio with just a handful of ETFs.
• Forget timing the market. Nobody knows where share prices will go next, so don't try to second-guess them.
• Stick with it. Do not sell up in a market crash. Use the opportunity to invest more at the lower price.
