Twelve Egyptian migrants are believed to have drowned after their boat capsized off the coast of Tobruk in eastern Libya, two sources from Egyptian security services reported today.

One man was rescued from the wreckage.

The 13 men had set sail for Italy on Sunday night, according to information received from the survivor through Libyan authorities.

The migrants were from the Egyptian provinces of Al Sharqiya and Gharbia. Recently, the number of Egyptians attempting the dangerous Mediterranean crossing to reach Europe has increased, as they face high unemployment and inflation in their home country.

Libya has become a transit hub for migrants escaping conflict and poverty in Africa and the Middle East, especially following the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in the 2011 uprising. According to data collected by the UN in mid-2024, Libya was hosting 761,322 migrants from 44 countries at that time.