Jul 4, 2019

Migrant boat carrying 86 from Libya sinks in Mediterranean

Marisa Fernandez

Rescue ship on the Mediterranean Sea. Photo: AFP/Getty Images

A boat from Libya with 86 migrants on board sank in the Mediterranean Sea, the AP reports, with only 3 people known to have survived.

Why it matters: The boat sank one day after an airstrike on a Libyan detention center, which killed 44 migrants and wounded 140 others, per the UN International Organization for Migration.

Backdrop: About 6,000 migrants are being held in Libya's detention centers after being intercepted by the coast guard, which is funded by the European Union.

Per AP: The UN blamed the the airstrike on the EU policy, which partners with Libyan militias to try to stop migrants from crossing the Mediterranean Sea toward Europe.

Go deeper:

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Migrant boat carrying 86 from Libya sinks in Mediterranean

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