Desert tragedy: Seven migrants perish after being abandoned in Libyan sands

At least seven Sudanese migrants died after their vehicle broke down in the Libyan desert, leaving them stranded for days without food or water, emergency officials reported Friday.

The group of 34 Sudanese nationals was traveling through a remote smuggling route from Chad when their car failed, according to Ebrahim Belhassan, director of ambulance services in Kufra.

After 11 days in the scorching dunes, 22 survivors including five children were found severely dehydrated and traumatized.

“Survivors were on the brink of death, witnessing others perish around them,” Belhassan told AP. Five remain missing, with little hope of survival in the vast desert.

Libya, a key transit hub for migrants fleeing conflict and poverty, hosts an estimated 787,000 migrants and refugees.

Last year alone, Kufra’s ambulance teams responded to over 260 emergency cases involving stranded Sudanese migrants.

The tragedy highlights the perilous journeys migrants face as they seek safety and opportunity in Europe.