At least 18 migrant hopefuls have died due to severe shortages of food and drinking water while attempting to reach Greece by sea from Libya. Among the Killed , identities of at least 10 individuals have been confirmed, all of whom are from Sunamganj district in Bangladesh. Survivors, including the missing and the sick, have been rescued and placed in a refugee camp in Greece.
A young man from Habiganj, currently staying in a Greek camp, reported on Saturday night that he had arrived in Greece on March 6 through a similar journey. He is now in the same camp where those rescued from the sea on March 27 are being housed. According to the rescued individuals, they had set off for Greece in a rubber boat arranged by human traffickers. However, the boat lost control mid-journey and drifted in the sea for six days. With no access to sufficient food and clean water, many fell seriously ill and eventually died. Their bodies were later thrown into the sea.
Local sources confirmed that four of the deceased were from Dirai upazila of Sunamganj: Nuruzzaman Sardar Moyna (30), Sajidur Rahman (28), Sahan Ehya (25), and Mujibur Rahman (38). Additionally, Abu Fahim from Kabirnagar village in Dowarabazar upazila, and Sohanur Rahman, Shayak Ahmed, Md. Nayeem, Aminur Rahman, and Mohammad Ali from Jagannathpur upazila have also been confirmed dead.
Local representatives from Jagannathpur and Dowarabazar have verified the deaths of residents from their respective areas. Family members stated that the victims had left home last month after agreeing to pay around 1.2 million taka to traffickers. Half of the payment was made after reaching Libya. After several days of losing contact, families received confirmation of their deaths on Sunday afternoon through relatives in Greece.
Among the rescued, two individuals are in critical condition and have been admitted to a local hospital, while the others are receiving treatment in the camp.
Additional Superintendent of Police of Sunamganj, Sujon Sarkar, said that reports of at least 10 deaths have been received from various sources, and police are working to verify the identities and gather detailed information about the victims.
10 people from Sunamganj died due to lack of food, bodies were dumped in the Mediterranean Sea
