Diplomatic Correspondent; Dbarta24 — In a tragic turn of events in the Mediterranean Sea, at least 11 Bangladeshi migration seekers lost their lives after their boat’s engine failed during an illegal journey from Libya to Greece.
Deprived of food and water for nine consecutive days, victims succumbed to starvation and dehydration before survivors were eventually rescued off the coast of Egypt.
According to survivor accounts, a motorized vessel carrying 42 asylum seekers—including 38 Bangladeshi nationals—departed from Tobruk, Libya, heading toward Europe.
Shortly after setting sail, the vessel was caught in a severe storm, washing all aboard food and freshwater supplies into the sea.
Despite the dangerous conditions, the migrants pushed forward. However, as they approached the waters near Greece, the boat’s engine broke down, leaving the vessel adrift in open waters with no assistance from traffickers or rescue agencies.
Nine Days Adrift and Devastating Losses
Driven purely by sea currents, the drifting boat eventually floated toward Marsa Matrouh, a coastal city in northwestern Egypt, where Egyptian security forces intercepted and rescued the survivors.
Local authorities transported 30 survivors to Marsa Matrouh General Hospital, where 18 Bangladeshi nationals remain under intensive medical care for severe dehydration, exposure to saltwater, and physical distress.
One of the survivors, Abdul Karim from Patharia village in Sunamganj, Bangladesh, shared a harrowing account of their nine-day ordeal from his hospital bed.
“Nine Bangladeshis died right in front of our eyes due to extreme lack of food and water. As their bodies began to decompose in the heat, we had no choice but to throw them into the sea. Two more died shortly after,” a tearful Karim recounted. “Extended exposure to saltwater caused skin breakdown and severe infections across our bodies. The doctors here are treating us well, but we just want to save our lives and return home to Bangladesh.”Official Response and Repatriation Efforts
Officials at the Bangladesh Embassy in Cairo confirmed they are closely monitoring the situation. Embassy representatives are in continuous communication with Dr. Sharif at Marsa Matrouh General Hospital and local police authorities.
Egyptian law enforcement reported that 30 individuals were rescued in total. While 18 are currently hospitalized due to critical health conditions, the remaining survivors have received preliminary medical care and are currently in police custody pending nationality verification.
The Bangladesh Embassy stated that once the injured citizens recover and local legal formalities in Egypt are completed, emergency travel permits will be issued to expedite their safe repatriation back to Bangladesh.