MSF announced that a flimsy rubber boat had broken up and sunk in the Mediterranean off the coast of Libya, leaving at least 30 people missing, including women and children. She said the ship sank on a dangerous road in the central Mediterranean, noting that a Médecins Sans Frontières rescue ship reached the ship and was able to rescue dozens of other migrants, including some women. A pregnant woman died aboard the Geo Barents rescue ship.

She indicated that five women and eight children were among the missing migrants. In recent years, Libya has become a major transit point for migrants fleeing war and poverty in Africa and the Middle East. In recent years, smugglers have capitalized on the chaos in Libya by ferrying migrants across the country’s long borders with six countries. The migrants are then packed into poorly equipped inflatable boats and sent on dangerous sea voyages.